UFV researcher explores lives of women in Canadian search-and-rescue teams

ABBOTSFORD — University of the Fraser Valley researcher Jelena Brcic is set to present her findings with the first half of a two-year project delving into search-and-rescue work as a woman now in the books.

The initiative, funded by Public Safety Canada, delves into the successes, challenges, and leadership incentives faced by women in SAR – a traditionally male-dominated field.

“One of the challenges that I heard frequently was equipment fit, and that’s a really easy thing to address,” Brcic explained. “Women’s bodies are different from men’s, and when you look at swift water rescue gear, a woman can’t jump in a river in a suit that doesn’t fit.”

Along with practical concerns, Brcic discovered barriers such as work-life balance and gender-based discrimination after interviewing dozens of women and collecting data from hundreds of SAR volunteers nationwide.