The Strathcona Regional District is celebrating after a member of Campbell River Search and Rescue was honoured for his dedication to emergency management.

Dylan Baker is among 128 other individuals and groups recognized by the Government of Canada.

The Emergency Management Exemplary Service Award recognizes those for exceptional service and achievement.

The award, a partnership between federal, provincial, and territorial governments, recognizes recipients who have achieved excellence in their respective fields.

Across Canada, there are many individuals and groups working on emergency management, such as community-based volunteers, people working in all levels of government in emergency management organizations, and Indigenous communities.

Baker created the SAR Command Assist, a groundbreaking tool that significantly enhances the efficiency and accuracy of the Incident Command System paperwork during Search and Rescue operations.

One of the many features of this software is the ability to link multiple computers together, even while offline, which is crucial when SAR teams are operating in remote areas.

The SRD says Baker’s dedication and generosity to the SAR field was demonstrated with him sharing the tool on a national and global scale, at no charge.

SAR teams as far as North Carolina and Portugal have benefitted from it.

The District says by freely offering the tool to the SAR community, Dylan has made a lasting contribution that will continue to benefit SAR teams with his significant technological advancement for years to come.

If you are interested in becoming a public safety lifeline volunteer, you can learn more about the Emergency Program at Strathcona Regional District.