Peace region residents benefit from free bear safety sessions

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. – For the second year in a row, Tumbler Ridge resident Kale Ericson is providing free bear safety training for residents in the Peace region and Mackenzie.

In 2023, Ericson held three public training sessions in Tumbler Ridge, Chetwynd, and Mackenzie, with more than 200 participants attending the sessions. 

“I always enjoy the public sessions because you get a lot of engagement. People are volunteering their time, and they want to be there,” Ericson said on May 7th. 

In 2024, Ericson organized sessions in Chetwynd, Tumbler Ridge, Dawson Creek and Mackenzie, running from May 3rd to June 1st. 

The training sessions are free, and adults and youth over 12 years old are welcome to attend. No payments or equipment are necessary.

“We don’t ask anyone to bring anything besides themselves,” Ericson said.

Both the Chetwynd session on May 3rd and Mackenzie session on May 4th were well received by residents, he said, with attendance in Chetwynd almost tripling compared to 2023.

“There was a really good showing there and a good variety of age groups from 10-year-olds up to seniors,” Ericson said. 

The next training session will be held in Tumbler Ridge at noon on May 11th at Northern Lights College, and the fourth and final training session will be in Dawson Creek at noon on June 1st, in Northern Lights College’s auditorium. 

Building on the feedback and public engagement in 2023, Ericson has expanded his 2024 presentation to include new, engaging slides and videos of bear behaviour.

“We went out and purchased probably $1,500 worth of equipment, and I’m handing out prizes, everything from bear spray holsters to real bear spray to transportation containers (for bear spray),” Ericson said.

Each of the 2024 public sessions will also feature a grand prize giveaway. Names will be drawn from a hat at the end of the session, and the lucky participant will go home with a professional bear spray kit.

The kit includes bear spray, an air horn, bear bangers, and explosive devices designed to deter approaching bears with a loud gunshot noise.  

“Ideally, you never have to use any of that stuff, but we see a lot of people out in the woods that do have bear spray on them, so it saves them a couple of hundred dollars there,” Ericson said. 

The training focuses on avoiding interaction with bears, spotting signs of bear activity or presence, and safely leaving any encounters with them. 

“When you live in our region and you like camping, hiking, and being outside, your odds are a lot higher of having an interaction, and hopefully, it’s a good interaction, but it’s best to be prepared if it is a negative one,” Ericson said.