Burton Winters's family finds closure in search and rescue report

The family of Burton Winters, a 14-year-old boy from Labrador who froze to death after his snowmobile became stranded on sea ice, say a long-awaited report on provincial search and rescue resources has provided a sense of closure.

Natalie Jacque, Burton's stepmother,says searching for answers after his death2012 has been stressful but the family is relieved to finally see the report.

"It's just been such a long time coming," Jacque told CBC News on Wednesday evening."It needed to happen, and that's what kept us going forward."

The 159-page report includes 17 recommendations for improvingsearch and rescue services in Newfoundland and Labrador, including funding and trainingfor volunteer search and rescue groups, mental health supports, increased engagement with the families of missing people and better organization of search and rescue operations in coastal areas.

A full copy of the report can be found here.

Jacque said Wednesday she had not yet read the full reportbut said the family is pleased by therecommendations they have seen.

"It's going totake a lot time before the recommendations come about some changes. Hopefully it won't take too long.I guess that'sjust our waiting part, now it's just to see how long those changes come into place."

Family hopes changes comes quickly

Tom Williams,lawyer for the Winters family, said the time leading up to and during the inquiry was difficult as the family nears the 10th anniversary of Burton's death, but "any recommendation to improve ground search and rescue is a good recommendation."

"I think through all of this great loss, the family have taken some comfort in the fact that their efforts and their loss have seen at least something come out of it," he said.

Williams says the next step is making sure the recommendations get implemented as quickly as possible.

"The mere fact an inquiry was called, I think, has been crucial. Having them implemented is the problem with every inquiry. I know that a lot of times they do sit on shelves," he said.

"I'm optimistic that government will take it as seriously as it needs to be. This inquiry with life and death issues, and that's the bottom line."

Jacque also spoke about a section of the report's summary, which dedicates the report to Burton.

"All the province is supportive of his family's commitment to examining the search effort, and equally to uncovering gaps and finding a positive way forward. In so many words, they said to the commission he was the kind of boy who would have grown up to be a real credit to his Nunatsiavut community. We believe them," the report reads.

Jacque called the dedication "touching and true."

"The wording is really sweet, just to hear what could have become. Just to have that feeling, to know that his memory will always be with not only anyone who was involved in the search and rescue but for others? That's sweet to hear just now."

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