Who is the boss of North Shore Rescue?

Scott Merriman has been helping North Shore Rescue since before he joined the team.

On a trip to Crown Mountain more than a dozen years ago, some hikers came across backpacks, apparently abandoned along the Howe Sound Crest Trail — often a sign of trouble in the backcountry.

Concerned enough that someone needed help, Merriman called 911 and was eventually put on the phone with legendary North Shore Rescue Team leader Tim Jones, who began mobilizing a search. It turned out to be a false alarm, but the call proved fatal.

“It was my first unofficial introduction to the team and it felt like a nice thing to be involved in,” he said. “I loved the outdoors and what better way to combine outdoor living with giving back to the community.”

Merriman, who has been a member of North Shore Rescue for the past 13 years, was officially named the new team leader Tuesday night following the departure of Mike Danks.

Like many rescuers, Merriman still feels that compulsion to help, as he did with the abandoned backpack.

“We don’t always have good results, but it sure feels good when you can reunite someone with their loved one,” said the 41-year-old electrical engineer from Deep Cove.

During his years as a volunteer, Merriman was promoted to search manager and air operations coordinator. If you’re familiar with images of rescuers dangling from a long line below a helicopter, there’s a good chance one of those rescuers is him.

When Danks alerted team members he was quitting, Merriman said he caved to “peer pressure” — encouragement from Danks and others — to take over the team.

For now, Merriman said he’s still working with Danks to make a smooth transition and wants to keep North Shore Rescue on the same trajectory Danks has — acquiring new technology and skill sets for the team, renewing its infrastructure outdated and taking care of members.

“I think it left her in a good place,” he said. “I’ve really progressed over the last 10 years and I’m looking to continue that.”

Danks said he felt some hesitation about the end of his time as leader, but Merriman volunteered for the role and put his worries to rest.

“My hope was that he would be someone that I’ve seen develop over the years and that he would have a very similar vision,” he said. “I think Scott is that person and I’m very confident that he will continue to make the team progress in many, many ways. And he brings a whole new level of energy to the position, so I’m excited about the future.”

The team faces new challenges that Merriman will have to face as the leader. As the older generation of volunteers retires from active duty, Merriman will need to see younger members trained to replace them. And with the rising cost of housing on the North Shore, that’s becoming increasingly difficult to do.

“We’ve had a number of younger members — really, really solid members — who just can’t afford to live here, so we’ve lost them,” he said. “There may be times when we don’t have as many members available on a particular call as we might need.”

As he becomes the new face of BC’s premier mountain rescue team, Merriman acknowledged that none of their good work would be possible without the support of the North Shore community. Both financial donations and good will keep the team going, Merriman said, adding that it is never taken for granted.

“It means a lot to our members to be supported by the community,” he said.