The Prince Rupert Marine Rescue Society is in the midst of a massive fundraising campaign as it works to bring a new vessel to the Coast Guard Auxiliary to replace the aging Rainbow Responder.
According to Marko Kessler of the society, the 24-foot Rainbow Responder is over 20 years old, making it the oldest and the least capable rescue vessel on the coast as it no longer meets Transport Canada standards. It also has only a partially covered area that has no heat and is not large enough to hold a patient - so part of the patient would be inside the boat and the other would be outside.
To replace the Rainbow Responder, the society has ordered a new 33-foot state of the art vessel with a fully enclosed cabin that can hold seven people and has enough room to keep patients covered and warm. The new ship, which will be able to hold three patients on stretchers, will also be able to resist 30-foot seas and 50 knot winds with a safer propulsion system and self-righting capabilities.
The cost of the new ship, which is currently 50 per cent complete, is around $489,000 and the society has, to date, raised $235,000, leaving the group approximately $254,000 short. With support from different levels of government in place, the group is turning to the community for fundraising assistance and has set-up different levels of sponsorship that range from $10 to $100,000, with a $100,000 donation earning the right to name the ship. Each sponsorship level includes varying levels of perks like a plaque, a tour of the harbour, acknowledgement in press and on the website and
more.
For more information, call Mike Graham at 250-600-4446 or Marko Kessler at 250-622-9598.