After what the Peninsula Emergency Measures Organization is calling an "extensive search" for Christian Dube, the search and rescue team has ordered a halt to search efforts on PKOLS pending another sighting of the 64-year-old.
Dube, who suffers from dementia, was reported missing Nov. 23 after he left Veterans Memorial Lodge, a secure care home on Chatterton Way in Saanich. Crews soon began looking for him on PKOLS, following up on reports of him being seen there on Nov. 23 and 26.
In the four days since the first report, search teams have scoured the area and the Saanich Police Department has asked nearby homeowners to check security camera footage in an effort to locate Dube, who stands 5'6", with blue eyes, shaggy brown hair and a grey goatee beard. He was last seen wearing blue jeans, brown shoes, a baseball cap, a black Reebok backpack and a black winter jacket with a hood, white lining and a Cleveland Browns NFL logo on the front left.
Just before 8 a.m. on Nov. 27, wearing bright-red waterproof jackets, 12 Metchosin Search and Rescue members gathered outside of a souped-up mobile command truck on the east side of PKOLS (Mount Douglas), where Linda Hillard, the outfit鈥檚 leader, delivered instructions about how they would begin the day鈥檚 search.
鈥淲e're hitting the main trails really hard again this morning,鈥� said Hillard, after the search team hiked into the forest. 鈥淭here have been some tentative sightings, so we really want to hit that hard and fast.鈥�
Picnic areas, offshoot trails and the nearby shoreline are also being searched.
The Metchosin group has been tasked with helping the Peninsula Emergency Measures Organization, which is responsible for leading rescue missions in Sidney, North Saanich and Central Saanich, search for the 64-year-old man.
Dube's gear has made Hillard optimistic that if he has been outside for the past days, he is OK.
鈥淗e had a decent jacket on. He had a hat. He had a good backpack. He knows what he's doing,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t's not as if he walked away in pyjamas and slippers. He's prepared.鈥�
While rain hit PKOLS Tuesday, Wednesday鈥檚 crisp, clear weather may benefit the crews scouring the mountain.
鈥淚t makes it a lot easier. We don't have to worry about the wind factor in the forest because that can be dangerous," said Hillard. 鈥淎lso, no rain or wind makes it easier to hear if someone's calling for help. If you have your hood up and it's noisy, it's obviously going to be very difficult. But these are perfect searching conditions.鈥�
Of the trails search teams are scouring today, Hillard said the focus is on the east side of the mountain.
鈥淲e're not doing the other side because the sightings have been in this general area,鈥� she said, adding that none of the search teams involved over the past days have seen Dube or uncovered any evidence that he may have been sheltering in the area.
Posters plastered throughout the park remind walkers, runners and bikers that Dube is missing, and Hillard herself has been asking passersby to keep their eyes peeled.
Parts of PKOLS were closed between Nov. 25 and 28, as Saanich crews undergo exploratory work at the mountain's summit 鈥� part of a larger project to install a new communications tower. When asked whether the closure, which has likely limited the number of people using the mountain鈥檚 trails, has negatively impacted search efforts, Hillard said she thinks it has helped.
鈥淓verybody who鈥檚 working on that site has his photograph and knows the situation,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e have helicopters coming and going, we have work crews coming and going. That's extremely helpful for us.鈥�
Hillard, who said she has been involved in hundreds of searches for people with dementia, said Dube鈥檚 mental health complicates the search.
鈥淲e know somebody with dementia may not respond to their name being called,鈥� she said, adding that, despite this, crews will search all areas, even if they don鈥檛 receive a reply.
But there are some patterns Hillard has noticed in her work looking for people with memory loss.
鈥淓ach person is different with dementia,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e basically look for them to get tired. Quite often they'll stop or go for a shelter area 鈥� coffee shops, malls, someone's door. They see a light when they're out at night, they're going to go where they feel safe.鈥�
This has led to a call for the public's help.
鈥淚f they're going shopping, for a drive, whatever, if they're out and about and you see somebody that looks familiar, don't hesitate to call it in,鈥� Hillard said. 鈥淲e're looking for any kind of clue.鈥�
She added that she can鈥檛 say whether Dube has been sheltering on PKOLS.
鈥淗e could be camping, definitely,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut he could also be going to a specific location and just hasn't gotten there yet.鈥�
Though it has been four days since Dube went missing, Hillard is confident everyone involved in the search will keep working until they're successful.
鈥淲e just wait for more sightings, more clues, then we just ramp up to whatever that location is,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t's not over until he's found.鈥�
