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Redden says his group, which was founded in 1983, is a legitimate search and rescue organization that steps in to help families when other search-and-rescue groups have called off their operations. It uses a third-party contractor to raise funds through telephone solicitations.

Since the lawsuit was filed Monday, North Shore Rescue has received more complaints from people who allege they have been duped into donating to the Search and Rescue Society, said North Shore Rescue leader Mike Danks.

The testimonies from complainants were clear and detailed, said lawyer Gregory Heywood, who represents North Shore Rescue. He said the callers identified themselves as representing North Shore Rescue, and even mention how many rescues they’ve done on North Shore mountains, he said.

Other search-and-rescue groups, including teams in Prince George and Campbell River, have also reported receiving similar complaints.

“It makes me sick to my stomach,” said Danks. “They pulled in hundreds of thousands of dollars a year. Where is that money going? What do these guys actually do?”

The Search and Rescue Society of B.C. is not a member of the B.C. Search and Rescue Association, an umbrella group that represents 80 search and rescue groups in the province.

His group opted not to join the association because if it did, it wouldn’t be able to continue its work as a rescue organization of last resort, said Redden.

When asked how many operations his group has participated in, Redden said they do not keep a running tally, but said it has recorded 22 operations between July 2015 and July 2016. The Search and Rescue Society is also the provincial agency for Project Lifesaver, a U.S. organization that uses radio beacons to help track people with dementia who are at risk of wandering.