In an account that is by turns adrenaline-charged and deeply thoughtful, Brad Sills looks back on a decades-long career in BC’s search and rescue services, describing the intense teamwork and strategizing—as well as the elation, grief, fear and bravery—at the heart of landmark missions to recover those lost or imperilled in terrain as dangerous as it is beautiful.

No matter how digitally connected,British Columbians live in a landscape where vast ranges of wilderness lie just beyond the last streetlamp. Here, crisis or tragedy can strike with a simple wrong turn or misstep. As a veteran of BC’s search and rescue services with half a century of experience, Brad Sills knows this as well as anyone in the province.

In this gripping memoir, Sills brings the reader on daring missions of the kind regularly undertaken by BC’s thirty-two hundred search and rescuevolunteers. Riveting accounts of the circumstances surrounding hikers lost in deep woods, kayakers seized by hidden currents, and skiers swept away by avalanche lead to vivid descriptions of the techniques and intense teamwork that go into each attempt to find and recover survivors and victims. These episodes often take place over days, sometimes weeks, and confront the workers with the very risks and hazards facing the people they’re trying to save.

Even as itconveys the full weight of elation, grief, fear and bravery found in the most compelling adventure writing, Echoes on the Wind chronicles the fascinating history of search and rescue operations in BC, a story of transformation “from a rudimentary endeavour to a sophisticated and increasingly effective service, fuelled by countless volunteer hours and the unwavering support of tight-knit communities.” With every success and tragedy, Sills and his teammates focuson tightening coordination, sharpening skills and practices, and deploying new technologies. The result is a unique and unforgettable testament to preparedness, resilience, and compassion, exemplifying “what can be achieved when ordinary people take extraordinary action.”

Echoes on the Wind

$36.95