Four decades on the road
From a borrowed Civil Defence truck and a crowbar to a modern rescue fleet — built by volunteers, for our community.
A volunteer road rescue society
Prince George Regional Highway Rescue (formerly Fort George Highway Rescue Society) is an auxiliary, non-profit, volunteer-based organization providing road rescue services to communities across the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George.
Road rescue teams provide vehicle extrication, rope rescue and other specialized rescue services in response to motor vehicle incidents. We respond to crashes outside fire-protected areas, and back up local fire departments when they need us.
Police and ambulance crews are first responders — but they aren't equipped to cut a vehicle apart. When someone is pinned in a wreck on Highway 16 or 97, that's our job.
Through the strength of our people and partners…
…we provide safe, effective and efficient vehicle extrication and low-angle rope rescue.
- Provide an elite road rescue service
- A dynamic organization that is flexible in its approach
- A top-quality group who are fully prepared for emergencies
- An organization that ensures members are fully trained and competent in the field
The Fraser-Fort George region
The Regional District of Fraser-Fort George covers more than 51,000 km² of British Columbia's Central Interior — from the Alberta border in the east to the Bulkley-Nechako in the west. Our primary response area is in excess of 24,000 km², and we provide backup across the rest of the district as required.
That includes some of the most demanding roads in the province: the Highway 16 and 97 corridors, forest service roads and rural routes — many of which have no volunteer fire department coverage at all.
Our hall is located at 4055 15th Avenue in Prince George, close to the centre of our response area, and our on-call members live within a 10-minute drive.
From simple beginnings to state-of-the-art
The society was created in 1981 by several local members of the BC Ambulance Service, following an incident in which a man died after being trapped in his vehicle with no way to free him. More than forty years later, that purpose hasn't changed.
One of the society's early rescue trucks.
- 1981
Founded
Fort George Highway Rescue Society begins serving the community with hand tools and ingenuity. The Provincial Emergency Program loans an old Civil Defence truck to carry crew and equipment.
- 1984
Operations pause
The province asks for the truck and equipment back. Without a vehicle, the society has no choice but to cease operations.
- 1987
Reborn
After a local resident is trapped in his vehicle for about three hours in 1986, an RCMP traffic sergeant asks the group to reorganize. The society is re-incorporated in January 1987. Ron's Towing donates a vehicle and the Kiwanis Club donates $15,000 for our first “Jaws of Life.”
- 1991
A real rescue unit & a hall
The province donates a box-style ambulance; members raise $25,000 and spend countless hours converting it into a rescue unit. The society moves out of the Chief's garage into a rented single-bay hall on First Avenue.
- 1999
Ospika & 15th
The society moves to its current location at Ospika Boulevard and 15th Avenue.
- 2014
A new name
Fort George Highway Rescue becomes Prince George Regional Highway Rescue — a name that more clearly reflects the region we serve.
- Today
A modern fleet
Two fully equipped rescue trucks, a command unit and a heavy rescue unit, staffed by trained volunteers in full bunker gear with modern hydraulic extrication and stabilization tools.
A legacy carried forward
Dave and Barb Hesse helped start the society more than four decades ago, when the “equipment” was a Porto-Power, a crowbar and a ten-inch screwdriver. Years later they came back to see what it had become.
Barb and Dave Hesse in front of Rescue 1, 2005.
I am impressed; the society has reached a level of professionalism with such a range of vehicles and equipment that we could only have ever dreamed of… It is fantastic to see our legacy carries on. Your desire to serve, your abilities to perform and your courage to act is an inspiration to us.
Governance
Prince George Regional Highway Rescue is a non-profit society governed by a volunteer Board of Directors, with operations led by our Chief and officers.
Chief Keith Laboucan
Chief & Training Officer
Keith joined the society in 2004 and worked his way through every rank — Captain, Assistant Chief, Training Officer and Chief — becoming the youngest Chief in the department's history in 2009. In 2014 he received Emergency Management BC's Public Safety Lifeline Volunteer Award in the Road Rescue category.
Board of Directors
Our board oversees the society's finances, fundraising, partnerships and long-term planning, including our goal of a permanent hall that can house our entire fleet.
- Nica Johnson
- Keith Laboucan
- Crystal Livingstone
- Vivian Pylatuik
- Steven Silva
- Leah Weber
Interested in serving on the board? Get in touch.