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TABLE OF CONTENTS
SAR NEWS
Appointment of the Executive Director for the NSS
Change in New SAR Initiatives Fund (NIF) Program Policy
NIF Changes Q& A
Cormorants Come Home to Comox
SAR PREVENTION
Prevention: The Impact of Best Practices
A Red 911 Whistle for the North
SARSCENE 2001
Northern Workshop
International Year of Volunteers
SARSCENE 2002
Nova Scotia Ground Search and Rescue Association
Canada's Ocean Playground Home of SARSCENE 2002
URBAN SAR
Red Cross Caring for Victims' Families
Urban SAR
Heavy Urban SAR
AWARDS
Outstanding SAR Achievement Award Winner
Governor General Honours CF Members
BOOK REVIEW
Man-Trackers & Dog Handlers in Search and Rescue
Appointment of the Executive Director for the
National Search and Rescue Secretariat
The Honourable Art Eggleton, Lead Minister Responsible for Search and
Rescue, is pleased to announce the appointment of Ms. Jean Murray as Executive
Director, National Search and Rescue Secretariat, effective 27 August
2001.
Before
joining the federal public service in 1976, Ms. Murray worked in municipal
government and the private sector in the United Kingdom, France, Spain
and New Brunswick. She has held positions with Public Works Canada, the
Treasury Board Secretariat and Transport Canada, where she worked in aviation
policy and railway safety, and as Director, Departmental Secretariat.
Ms. Murray also spent 13 years with the Canadian Coast Guard, where her
appointments included Director General, Rescue, Safety and Environmental
Response, and Director General, Marine Navigation Services. Prior to joining
the National Search and Rescue Secretariat, she was Director of Communications
with Statistics Canada.
Ms. Murray was born in St. John's, Newfoundland, and received her university
education (B. A. in Geography, French and English) at the University of
London, England, where she also received a post graduate diploma in Urban
Planning. 
Change in New SAR Initiatives Fund (NIF) Program
Policy
The Lead Minister Responsible for Search and Rescue, the Honourable Art
Eggleton, recently approved the following changes to the NIF program,
as recommended by the Interdepartmental Committee on Search and Rescue
(ICSAR).
The existing 25 per cent funding contribution requirement from provincial/territorial
sponsored projects will be replaced with a requirement for cost sharing
and partnerships for all project proposals, combined with a revised scoring
system that provides additional
weight in these areas and to relative need (i. e., potential to improve
the search and rescue system).
In addition, the definition of what kind of support qualifies as cost sharing has been expanded to include in-kind contributions, not just financial contributions. All contributions must be valued, documented in the NIF proposal and capable of being monitored and audited.
The policy changes are designed to make NIF funds equally accessible to all; to encourage additional investments in projects that benefit search and rescue; and to improve project management and auditability.
The changes will apply to projects that are undertaken in 2003-2004,
to give project
proponents and reviewing authorities time to adjust to the changes. The
NIF Program
Guide will be updated to provide specific direction and explanations
on new parameters for contributions and amendments to scoring processes.
The updated version will be available in April 2002. All NIF proposals
submitted for the 2003-2004 project cycle and beyond must conform to the
changes in policy. A review will be done by the NSS after two years
to determine whether the changes have accomplished the objectives of achieving
greater accessibility, encouraging additional investment and improving
project monitoring and control.
Questions and Answers about the Change in New SAR
Initiatives Fund Program Policy
Can anyone still make a submission to the New SAR Initiatives Fund
(NIF)?
Yes, provided the submission goes through an NSS-recognized NIF sponsor
organization, and the cost is shared (cash or in-kind). The NIF has always
been open to encouraging new SAR innovations, but now there is no specified
minimum percentage that must be cost shared. Applicants can assign a value
to the contributions of goods and services they plan to provide to implement
a proposal. The NIF will be more accessible, but will still ensure the
serious commitment of the applicant.
Will these changes affect the kind of proposals submitted or their
timing?
No. These changes do not alter any of the fundamental guidelines for the
selection of projects, which remain focussed on encouraging new ideas
in the field of search and rescue. The criteria and principles of the
NIF can be found in the NIF
Program Guide at www.nss.gc.ca.
These policy changes apply to projects proposed for the 2003-2004 NIF cycle and beyond. The submission of proposals will follow the normal NIF schedule. Proposals received for funding consideration in 2002-2003 have already entered the review and approval process, and will be evaluated using existing NIF program policies.
How do these changes affect future proposals from my province/territory?
Volunteer groups, provinces and territories will no longer need to commit
to 25 per cent of the total value of a proposal before its submission.
However, some degree of financial commitment must be made; this can be
in cash, in-kind contributions, or a combination
of both. An example of an in-kind contribution could be the use of a training
facility or the provision of personnel directly related to the project
implementation. A definition of in-kind contributions will be developed
and provided in the updated New SAR Initiatives Fund Program Guide. The
greater the contribution, the greater the likelihood the proposal will
receive the maximum allocated points for cost sharing. The new system
is meant to encourage additional investments of money or time in SAR from
project sponsors and others to accompany the strategic investments made
by the NIF itself, as well as to ensure that proposals submitted will
have the full support of the submitting agency. Specific points will also
be allocated for enlisting partners. Of course, proposals must still meet
all the criteria of the NIF Program Guide, and compete with other proposals,
as in the past.
How do these changes affect proposals from my federal department?
Federal departments must also indicate cost sharing of proposals and may
also value in-kind contributions to calculate the total amount of the
contribution. For example, costs that can be attributed directly to the
proposal to enable a project to proceed will be considered as shared value.
The same principle will apply to both federal departments and non-federal
agencies.
Will this announcement result in a rush of proposals that will overwhelm
the federal and provincial NIF sponsors?
The purpose of the NIF is to encourage the submission of new ideas,
and more are welcome. There are no changes in the categories of eligible
proposals as a result of this
announcement.
The NIF review and approval process involves a merit board that assesses all the projects that are submitted, and this process should be largely unaffected, even if there is an increase in the number of proposals received.
Most NIF sponsoring agencies, whether they are provinces and territories or federal departments, have their own criteria for accepting proposals. For example, many provinces and territories require proposals to meet screening criteria based on their own priorities. For the same reason, any increase in submissions from the provinces and territories is not expected to be significant.
Per Nilsen, NSS
Cormorants Come Home to Comox
On a rainy, cold and windy Saturday, September 29, last year, two bright
yellow and red CH149 Cormorant helicopters lifted off from the Agusta
plant helipad at Vergiate (pronounced ver-gee-ah-tay), Italy, and headed
westward. This departure was not for another of the many testing and training
flights conducted almost daily since Canada's new SAR helicopters began
coming off the production line in February, 2000. These machines were
leaving Vergiate for the last time, heading home - to Comox, British
Columbia, nearly 10 000 kilometres away, the first of their types to be
delivered to the Canadian Forces. Avoiding the Alps, owing to the bad
weather, the ferry flight would take the crews along the Mediterranean
coast and then north-westward through France to England and Scotland.
The Atlantic crossing began as the Cormorants left the Scottish coast
and headed via the Faeroe Islands to Keflavik in Iceland. Then it was
on to Greenland, where crews skirted the southern coastline before crossing
the Davis Strait to make landfall in Canada at Iqaluit, NWT.
Leading
the flight as Mission Commander was Major Alex Thomson, the Labrador (and
now Cormorant as well) Standards Officer from the Canadian Forces' Transport
and Rescue Standards and Evaluation Team in Trenton. As Canada's most
experienced Cormorant pilot to date, with about 250 flying hours on the
new machine and 5 300 hours on the Labrador, Major Thomson is well qualified
to draw comparisons: "At 140 knots on auto-pilot, the Cormorant is
smooth and quietÉ a similar trip (57 flying hours over 12 days
with a pair of two-day stopovers for maintenance and crew rest) in the
Labrador would leave you totally exhausted... and with an aching back."
He goes on to talk about the capabilities the Cormorant will bring to
the SAR role: "While the cruise speeds are not too different between
the Cormorant (140 knots) and Labrador (120 knots), the former can maintain
that speed at much higher weights and altitudes, permitting faster, more
direct transits (over high ground or weather systems) to a distress site.
The Cormorant will also offer a somewhat greater radius of action than
the Labrador and will be capable of operating in icing conditions, which
is prohibited for the Labrador. From a safety perspective, in the event
of an engine failure the Cormorant can maintain a hover (at reduced operating
weights) or safely fly out of the hover, an option not always possible
with the Labrador. The Cormorant's fully automatic flight control system,
coupled with a radar altimeter and doppler, gives it an 'auto-hover' capability,
allowing it to maintain a position without manual input, greatly reducing
pilot fatigue and shortening the time required to hoist victims. Once
aboard, casualties can receive medical treatment enroute to hospital,
facilitated by the Cormorant's significantly larger cabin (about 25% larger
than that of the Labrador)."
Although the first two, of the eventual fleet of fifteen Cormorants,
were formally accepted in a ceremony at 19 Wing Comox on October 29, it
will still be months before the type first sees SAR standby duty. Operational,
or Category III, testing remains to be done - developing and verifying
the operating parameters and procedures by which crews will carry out
the various types of SAR missions. Concurrently, additional pilots and
flight
engineers will be undergoing ground school, simulator and flying training
on the Cormorant at Agusta-Westland facilities in Yeovil, Great Britain,
and Vergiate, Italy, prior to returning to Canada to set up the operational
conversion course at 442 Squadron in Comox. There, over the next two years,
aircrew from all four squadrons operating Labradors will transition
to the Cormorant, returning to their home units as the new helicopters
arrive. In a carefully phased sequence that will see no break in primary
SAR helicopter standby posture, Cormorants will gradually assume SAR duty
across the country. The Labrador era will come to an end sometime in 2003,
nearly 40 years after the type first entered service with the RCAF.
By Major Grant MacDonald, NSS
PREVENTION
The Impact of Best Practices
Each year, the National Search and Rescue Secretariat reviews prevention
projects to identify elements and criteria that have contributed to the
success of the project or activity (i. e., a resultant change in attitude,
or a change in behaviour of the target audience). These best practices
are then shared among members of the Federal SAR Prevention Working Group
to encourage the use of lessons learned and best practices in developing
prevention programs. Some of the best practices identified to date include:
basing a prevention program on clearly identified needs, targeting specific
audiences, identifying the degree of risk associated with given activities,
spelling out the consequences of unsafe practices, and suggesting appropriate
behaviours.
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| The Hon. Herb Dahliwal, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, with sea scouts and Theodore Tug Boat at the launch of National Safe Boating Week. |
Both the Canadian Coast Guard, through the Office of Boating Safety, and Parks Canada have used some of these best practices to craft two new prevention initiatives - the National Interactive Safe Boating Test, and Heading Out? Check it Out! Both projects are based on clearly identified needs: they target specific audiences, present messages that can be widely distributed, and suggest what people should do to reduce risks.
CANADIAN COAST GUARD - NATIONAL INTERACTIVE SAFE BOATING TEST
Each year, more than 8 million recreational boaters take to Canadian waters:
this translates into 2.8 million boats out there. Unfortunately, in 1998,
66 per cent of all vessels involved in Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) SAR
incidents were recreational boats. In response to the growing need for
boater education, the CCG started a SAR prevention project, the CCG's
National Interactive Safe Boating Test, which was completed in September
2000.
The objective was to promote safe boating and to encourage boaters to get their boating safety operator card. The National Interactive Safe Boating Test took place in 1999 and 2000 and included two tests on safe boating practices.
In addition to being NIF-funded, the project attracted 38 sponsors who donated more than $3.5 million in cash and goods and services to make the campaign the largest ever in Canada.
To ensure wide distribution of the tests, campaign crews attended 37 boat, sporting and cottage shows countrywide. They also promoted the project in community newspapers, marine publications, marinas and on the Web. A big step for the project was that the tests were included in the Reader's Digest Boating Supplement, which reached another 4 million people. In the end, 57 443 contestants answered the questionnaire.
The project also included 13 mini-tests, about a minute long each, that were broadcast in both official languages. These aired on national boating, fishing and hunting shows watched by the target audience. The Hon. Herb Dahliwal, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, with sea scouts and Theodore Tug Boat at the launch of National Safe Boating Week.
Once all the test ballots were in, the answers were televised, and prizes were drawn during a one-hour television special aired on both the CTV Sportsnet and the Outdoor Life Network. They reached an audience of more than 4 million Canadians.
Three years of hard work paid off. The Canadian Coast Guard's National Interactive Safe Boating Test provides a fine example of a successful prevention effort.
PARKS CANADA AGENCY - HEADING OUT? CHECK IT OUT!
Parks Canada's public service announcement (PSA) campaign - Heading Out?
Check It Out! - is another example of a prevention project that incorporates
some of the best practice elements identified above. This ongoing New
SAR Initiatives Fund project is in its third and final year.
Research carried out between 1994 and 1997 showed that Parks Canada delivered safety messages during the arrival and on-site phase of park visits, but was doing little to increase safety awareness before visitors came to a park. It became evident there was a real need for this type of prevention project.
In keeping with the visions and objective statement for SAR Prevention
(April 1998),
Parks Canada wanted to motivate youth to obtain and use the knowledge,
skills and equipment necessary to make smart choices and to avoid or reduce
the number, frequency and severity of SAR incidents.
Parks Canada's television-based media campaign has a clearly targeted audience - Canadian youth aged 9 to 24. The 30-second PSAs highlight both summer and winter activities (10 each) and are broadcast in French and English.
Parks Canada wanted to focus on outdoor activities, popular among youth, that regularly result in injury and SAR response. It also wanted to depict the cultural diversity of Canadian youth and to make its PSAs appropriate to both language audiences.
The short-term goal of the PSAs is to teach young adults about the nature and risks of outdoor recreation, to encourage the notion that safety is a shared responsibility and that people must take responsibility for their own safety. The long-term goal is to encourage the next generation to be more self-reliant and to plan in accordance with the difficulty of the activities they pursue.
Parks Canada wanted the announcements to be youth oriented and positive, with a touch of humour. It also looked for a design that maximized replay and airtime.
These PSAs go to approximately 100 cable stations, specialty channels and television stations across Canada. Stations are likely to air them because they:
- demonstrate good corporate citizenship,
- facilitate the management of airtime (i. e., they are time fillers), and
- help stations meet their Canadian content quota.
In the final stages of production and distribution, the Heading Out? Check It Out! project promises to be a huge success and a model for SAR prevention programs nationwide. Stay tuned to see Parks Canada PSAs on a station in your area.
Jon Elliott, Co-op student, Mount Saint Vincent
University and Mark McGaraughty, NSS
For more information on SAR prevention or additional information on
these projects,
contact Mark McGaraughty at the National Search and Rescue Secretariat:
(613) 996-0517 or Mark@ nss.gc.ca.
A Red 911 Whistle for the North
A safety initiative that provides whistles for children to call for help
in isolated communities in northern Ontario is going national. More than
30 000 of the distinctive red whistles have been distributed in more than
40 Ojibwa and Cree communities in Northern Ontario by the
Canadian Rangers, army reservists who are the only military presence in
Canada's remote and isolated areas.
Many Aboriginal communities in remote areas do not have ready access
to emergency
services, such as 911 telephone systems. Children are trained to carry
the whistles
at all times and to use them when they are lost, in trouble on water,
or want to call for help when they encounter physical or sexual abuse
or other emergencies.
The Department of National Defence is expanding the program so that more than 100 000 whistles will be handed out elsewhere in Canada, said Major David Scandrett, Commanding Officer of 3rd Canadian Ranger Patrol Group at Canadian Forces Base Borden, which commands the 10 Canadian Ranger Patrols in Northern Ontario.
"We were involved in about 20 body recoveries in Ontario alone last year," he said. "That kind of puts wilderness safety in perspective. In most of the places we go you can't dial 911. Or, if you do, nothing happens. There are few pay phones and limited policing is available. In many of the communities there are only a couple of constables, one on duty and the other off duty." Major Scandrett said the idea for the Ranger Red Whistle program first came to him when he read about university groups handing out rape whistles to female students who walk alone on campus.
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| Warrant Officer Dunn explains the purpose and use of the Red Whistle to enthusiastic children at remote Northern communities. |
The Canadian Rangers will soon be distributing the whistles in Yukon, North-west Territories, Nunavut, Newfoundland and Northern Quebec. The whistles were distributed throughout Northern Ontario by members of the 3rd Canadian Ranger Patrol Group staff. But the brunt of the work fell to Warrant Officer Bruce Dunn who spent weeks travelling to isolated communities, many of which can only be reached by air. The populations of the First Nations' settlements he visited ranged in size from 240 to 2 400 people.
"I'd sometimes be the only person to get off the plane," he said, "and I'd find there was no one else at the airstrip. Sometimes it was 30 or 40 below zero and I had to hike five kilometres into the settlement carrying all my gear and whistles, including food in case I had to cook for myself." He gave the whistles to children in grades one to six in the community schools, telling them they were not toys and were to be used only in an emergency. "Is it worth it?" he said. "Sure it is. If the whistle helps one kid who gets lost on the land or lands up in trouble, because a snowmobile breaks down or goes through the ice or something like that, then it's worth giving them out."
"A whistle is a cheap way to help save a life."
Sergeant Peter Moon, Media Relations Ranger,
3rd Canadian Ranger Patrol Group, CFB Borden.
NORTHERN WORKSHOP
You would think that in a remote territory, a land of mountains and rivers
less touched by time and civilization, terror would not find you, that
somehow you would feel protected. I will always remember SARSCENE
2001 in Whitehorse, Yukon, because of its success but also because of
the impact of the tragic events of 11 September in the United States.
These tragic events happened the day before the SARSCENE 2001 Games
and Workshop were scheduled to open. Many delegates, presenters and exhibitors
were stranded in airports across Canada and the United States, and could
not make it to SARSCENE. Even though the number of participants
who could attend and the number of speakers and exhibitors who could make
it were still unknown, the NSS decided to go ahead as planned.
It was the first time the SARSCENE workshop was being held in Canada's territories, as reflected in the theme "North of 60°." Yukon has a population of 30 000 and most people live in its capital, Whitehorse. As more and more Canadians are participating in outdoor activities, the need for SAR expands every year and Yukon is no exception. Located in an area of natural beauty with spectacular landscape, Whitehorse is a great setting for wilderness sports and activities, and an ideal location for a SAR workshop.
The hosts this year were the Whitehorse District Search and Rescue Society,
in collaboration with the Yukon EMO, the City of Whitehorse, RCMP "M"
Division, DND and Parks Canada. Two pre-workshop sessions were held: low-angle
rope rescue on Monday
and Tuesday with Captain Al Thomas Jr., Special Operations, Heavy Urban
SAR, Toronto Fire Services; and a four-day dog clinic with WDSAR's Kirstie
Simpson.
The SARSCENE Games were a great success, as usual, with five teams challenged by stations involving navigation, medical first response, SAR planning, clue awareness, mystery (team building) and relay events involving a rescue disc throw, knot-tying exercise and litter carry. The winning team was the Foothills SAR from Turner Valley, Alberta. The Canine Games were to be held this year in conjunction with the SARSCENE Games but the events of 11 September took front stage and many dog teams left Whitehorse for New York or were tasked to support the local airport.
The workshop started with a delicious traditional sourdough pancake breakfast with the help of VIP flippers - Yukon Senator Ione Christensen, Nova Scotia RCMP Constable Tim Nicholson, Washington State SAR Co-ordinator Chris Long and others. Senator Christensen showed up early and asked where the kitchen was as she removed her coat and scarf, donned a small waist apron and started to mix ingredients without getting a speck of flour on her dark green dress!
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| Yukon Premier Pat Duncan |
The opening ceremony was followed with a performance by the Tagish Kwan dancers from Kwanlin Dun First Nation and a touching, spontaneous prayer for the people of New York, especially SAR providers. The politicians came next: Senator Christensen, Whitehorse Mayor Ernie Bourassa, Yukon Tourism Minister Sue Edelman, followed by our WDSAR host Debbie Brewster and NSS Louise Pilloud on behalf of Jean Murray, NSS Executive Director.
Thanks to last-minute offers by many participants to substitute for absent presenters, we were able to continue with the full program of four simultaneous educational sessions over three days. They revived the program with many new and interesting themes, most on the spur of the moment.
Chris Long, Rick LaValla and Rick Goodman agreed to reformat their usual
pre-workshop on search management course, and drew a large crowd. Toronto
Firefighter Al Thomas also commanded wide interest with his timely Heavy
Urban SAR presentations. Local first-time presenter Bob Daffe (Tatshenshini
Expediting Co.) proved an excellent speaker with his theme "Training
Saves the Rescuer." Other much appreciated workshops were David Brewer's
(BC PEP) presentation on conducting a review of SAR incidents, David Taylor's
(Government of Northwest Territories) presentation on the COSPAS/ SARSAT
emergency locator beacon system and Monica Ahlstrom's (SARVAC) presentation
on Winnie-the-Pooh and SAR. Our international friends were also part of
the workshop. Belgian policeman Nico de Baene managed to make it from
Brussels and described the
Belgian approach and system on missing persons. Seppo Wuori described
Ground SAR in Sweden.
We were able to go on with a reduced trade show with a dozen exhibitors, including one from the United Kingdom. The exhibitors were Globalstar Canada Satellites, Univisor, Canadian Red Cross, CASARA Yukon, Canadian and U. S. Coast Guard Auxiliaries, Environment Canada, Public Works and Government Services Canada/ Government Satellite Services, Rocky Mountain Tents, Environment Canada, WDSAR and the Nova Scotia Ground Search and Rescue Association.
On Saturday, the delegates and the public were invited to attend the
SAR demos on the shore of the Yukon River. Tatshenshini Expediting Co.
demonstrated fast-water rescue techniques, including a canoe 'T' rescue,
a raft flip rescue, a kayak rescue and some rope-rescue techniques. The
Carcross Area Rescue Team Association, aboard a Zodiac craft, demonstrated
how to position a crew in a craft to allow safe and quick turns while
speeding toward a victim. Finally, Captain Al Thomas Jr., Special Operations,
Heavy
Urban SAR, Toronto Fire Services, presented a low-angle rope rescue demo,
using the Foothills SAR team in simulation roles.
Two social activities were organized by WDSAR and were well attended. In the tradition of northern hospitality, we were invited to participate in the Evidence Search, an evening scavenger hunt where teams were directed to certain downtown establishments and asked to gather information or items, with prizes going to the winning teams.
The Volunteer Appreciation Night took the form of Days of the '98 Gold Rush Review, with clocks turned back to the days of the Klondike Gold Rush in 1898. Participants rented period casino-style costumes and joined in for a show with the local Snowshoe Shufflers acting as masters of ceremony. The local 2001 Yukon Sourdough Rendezvous Queen, Samantha Mason, signalled the start of the SAR Sam competition which featured animal calls, a fashion show, chain saw chuck, log sawing, snowshoe relay and other events. The competition was won by Sûreté du Québec's Inspector Robert Poeti. Delegates danced through the night until the saloon closed.
At the NSS awards and closing banquet, Yukon Premier Pat Duncan and Ms.
Joanne
MacDonald, a representative of the Council of the Yukon First Nations,
addressed the
delegates. Since only one of the achievement certificate recipients was
able to attend, only a partial awards ceremony was held. A full ceremony
was held on 10 December in Ottawa hosted by the Honourable Art Eggleton,
Lead Minister Responsible for Search and Rescue. The closing ceremony
was orchestrated to surprise everyone. Making a grand entrance at the
sound of the pipes, the President of the Nova Scotia Ground SAR Association,
Charlie Strickland, and Nova Scotia RCMP Constable Tim Nicholson were
resplendent in their traditional costumes and invited us to attend SARSCENE
2002 in Halifax, 11- 14 September 2002. Debbie Brewster, as 2001 host,
officially passed on the flag to next year's host.
Despite the challenge of the New York tragedy, the first SARSCENE workshop north of 60° was a tremendous success. The smaller number of participants meant a more intimate and cozier atmosphere, a feeling of truly being among friends and family. It also reflected how things are done in Yukon, where people are accustomed to pulling together in difficult times to fulfil their obligations.
Louise Pilloud, NSS
INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF VOLUNTEERS
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| Yves Duguay-Gagné and his wife at the RCMP Musical Ride. |
As many of you know, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 2001
to be the International Year of Volunteers. This occasion provides a unique
opportunity to highlight the achievements of the millions of volunteers
worldwide and encourage more people globally to engage in volunteer activity.
On 26 April 2001, a special ceremony was held on Parliament Hill to honour
those volunteers who assist with national programs. Included in the representatives
were two
ground search and rescue volunteers, who were identified by the National
Ground Search and Rescue Council as deserving of special recognition.
The Honourable Jane Stewart, Minister of Human Resources Development Canada
presented Mr. Yves Duguay-Gagné and Mr. Richard Smith with their
certificates in front of an audience including the Honourable Sheila Copps,
Minister of Canadian Heritage.
Diane Miller and Tina Bouchard, NSS
NOVA SCOTIA GROUND SEARCH AND RESCUE ASSOCIATION
Each year, the National Search and Rescue Secretariat works with the provincial
search and rescue authority and a volunteer organization from the workshop
area to help host SARSCENE. For 2002, this group is the Nova Scotia
Ground Search and Rescue
Association (NSGSARA). 
The NSGSARA assists GSAR teams in their efforts to provide a superior and dedicated level of service to the people of Nova Scotia.
The association consists of 25 member teams encompassing more than 1 550 men and women, who provide the ground search and rescue coverage for the province. Member teams are 100 per cent volunteer, operate under the authority of the Emergency Measures Organization (EMO) and are called out by the EMO or police agencies when someone is reported lost.
From their origin in Cape Breton in the 1960s, GSAR teams eventually spread through the rest of Nova Scotia.
The deaths of a child and a volunteer ground searcher in 1969 created
a real awareness of the need for a formally mandated GSAR program. The
EMO of Nova Scotia took the
initiative and created the first GSAR program, complete with financial
and workers' compensation for the volunteers.
The provincial organization was formed in 1990, with the inaugural meeting of the NSGSARA in Shubenacadie. In October 1994, the program was further strengthened by the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the RCMP (Nova Scotia, H Division), who co-ordinate search and rescue through their policing contract with the province, the EMO and the NSGSARA.
These three organizations - by sharing resources and volunteers - have developed an efficient, effective and comprehensive GSAR program. In addition, participants have delivered a preventive GSAR program to more than 50 000 young Nova Scotians. Current research and development activities continue to help ensure the rescue of those whose lives are in danger.
In response to the Swiss Air 111 disaster, NSGSARA members and teams
accounted
for over 40 000 person hours in emergency response missions ranging from
recovering aircraft parts from the shores and islands, to recovering human
remains.
Already highly trained, NSGSARA teams are also cross-trained with organizations such as the Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary and the Civil Air Search and Rescue Association (CASARA).
The NSGSARA is an example of a successful volunteer organization with extremely successful training standards. The NSS is happy to host SARSCENE 2002 with the Nova Scotia Ground SAR Association and the province of Nova Scotia.
Jon Elliott, Co-op student
Mount Saint Vincent University
Canada's Ocean Playground - Home of SARSCENE 2002
SARSCENE 2002 - Halifax, Nova Scotia. If ever there was a guaranteed
great time, this is it. I'm talking about the workshop, of course. I'm
Jon Elliott, a co-op student for four months at the National Search and
Rescue Secretariat (NSS) here in Ottawa, and my province of origin is
Nova Scotia. Sure I'm biased, but after you read this article, none of
you SAR-loving people will want to miss the annual SARSCENE workshop
in Halifax, 11- 14 September.
A LITTLE HISTORY
Nova Scotia's original inhabitants, the Mi'kmaq, are culturally rich,
with an ancient culture, living language and unique craft traditions.
The first European settlers in Nova Scotia were French soldiers and explorers who fared well enough to convince the old country that full-scale settlement was the way to go. These settlers, whose descendants are the Acadians, constructed their farms and communities on land built up from briny and brackish seawater swamps through extensive networks of dykes.
The French got new neighbours with the arrival of the British who soon established military outposts and permanent settlements all over the area, the most notable being Halifax in 1749. Halifax quickly became the cornerstone of English tradition and culture, rivaling Boston and New York in strategic and commercial significance. During the many years of war between England and France, settlers often found themselves swearing allegiance to a new nation as territory was won or lost in battle.
NOW ON TO THE PRESENT DAY!
Nova Scotia's population is about 937 000. At the eastern edge of Canada's
maritime region, the province is at the centre of the Atlantic trading
rim. It's the last port of call on the way east and the first coming west.
Of course, it helps to have a provincial capital (Halifax) with the second
largest, natural, ice-free harbour in the world - a regular stop for both
large freighters and cruise ships.
Now what is Nova Scotia best known for? If most of you land-locked people
guessed pubs, beer or Tim Horton's, you're wrong. It's the natural beauty:
the crashing ocean
and twisting coastline are world renowned. The dazzling splendour of the
Cape Breton
highlands is featured in nearly every tourism or promotional advertisement
the
province produces. The Cabot Trail, winding its way through the highlands,
is only one
of the scenic routes the province offers. Every harbour and inlet along
the South Shore provides something unique, while the Acadian fields and
dykes crisscross the charming Annapolis Valley. And then there's Peggy's
Cove where wave-smoothed rocks meet the thundering Atlantic Ocean.
On a sombre note, the picturesque lighthouse and rocky shoreline will forever remind us of the late-night tragedy of 2 September 1998, when Swiss Air Flight 111 crashed a few kilometres offshore leaving no survivors among the 229 passengers and crew. That devastating air disaster certainly puts the SARSCENE workshops, along with search and rescue in general, into perspective.
One thing you will learn in September 2002 is that Nova Scotia is all about entertainment. Sure to get your hands clapping and feet stomping is Nova Scotia's own brand of east coast music, heard live all over the province. Food of every culture, taste and description can be found up and down the coast and the seafood is second to none. The pub scene is alive and kicking province-wide, and Nova Scotia is home to some of the finest breweries in Canada.
Of course it's a maritime province, so there are boat tours and whale watching expeditions. A cruise on the world famous schooner Bluenose will take you back to the days when wind was the means of transportation and exploration.
Nova Scotia is a beautiful province that can satisfy any nature enthusiast or shutterbug. The province boasts lots of woods and parks: nature and wildlife are really important here. Sure is good to feel safe though (way to go, Nova Scotia Ground SAR!). And animal sanctuaries, such as the Shubenacadie Wildlife Park, enable visitors to see many creatures in their natural environments.
Steeped in history, brimming with excitement, blessed with beauty, Nova Scotia has everything. At SARSCENE 2002, workshop attendees will see why this province, and Halifax, are known as Canada's ocean playground.
Jon Elliott, Co-op student
Mount Saint Vincent University
Red Cross Caring for Victims' Families
The
wooden wall runs the length of the sidewalk. It is made of plywood and
two-by-fours, similar to the walls around most downtown construction site.
But this one is covered with hundreds of homemade flyers. Some are carefully
designed computer graphics, others are posters with crayon drawings by
children. All have pictures. The photographs are the loved ones who have
not been heard from since the destruction of the World Trade Centre in
New York.
Here it is known simply as the wall. It is where families post notices in the hope that someone can provide them with any information about those they have lost. Some of the pictures have roses taped above them. One reads, "Searching for our dad, our hero." It shows the picture of a New York fireman with his two young children.
It is here that the enormity of this tragedy becomes very personal. It
is a long display of smiling faces of ordinary people. Some are individual
close-ups, others show husbands
and wives or parents with their children. None of these people have been
heard from since the morning of September 11.
The wall is located at the Family Assistance Centre, the focal point for services offered to the families of the missing. Operated by the City of New York, the centre enables families to register the missing with the appropriate law enforcement agencies. Other departments can offer financial assistance to those in need. But a major role is emotional support. Counsellors, chaplains, and child psychologists are available to any family desiring their help.
One of the most visible agencies at the centre is the American Red Cross. Staffing registration desks, a childcare service, a first aid station and a section of the canteen, its volunteers are major contributors to this service. But the most important Red Cross contribution is in the emotional support it offers to families as well as to other staff and volunteers trying to come to terms with what they are experiencing.
The Red Cross counsellors are trained professionals in the mental health field. Social workers, guidance counsellors, psychologists or psychiatrists, they have volunteered to help. All have received training from the Red Cross and are part of its disaster response teams.
The families arrive at the assistance centre in a steady stream throughout the day and into the evening. The mental health volunteers take aside those who are overcome by their emotions. For others, it's often of case a simply walking up and saying hello and then starting a conversation. The Red Cross message is simple, "We're here to listen and help if you want." The volunteers underline repeatedly that each person is different, the way they deal with the situation is different, and the Red Cross will be there for them wherever they are in the difficult emotional process ahead.
This work is not only with the families. Others in New York are facing emotional distress. As Red Cross trucks distribute food and water to firefighters and other rescue workers shifting through the rubble at what is now known as ground zero, the mental health volunteers are also present. Usually it's just a smile, "how's it going, are you getting any sleep?" But again it's the basic message, "We are here, we care and we are ready to listen if you want to talk."
The next Monday morning, Wall Street reopened for business. For many employees, it was the first time back in the huge office towers since the horror of the previous Tuesday. Red Cross mental health workers were on the street, letting people know a simple but important message, "We are here, if and when you need us."
But this emotional support is not a short or even a medium term need. American Red Cross officials point out that six years after the bombing in Oklahoma City, they are still receiving new people seeking help on a regular basis. "In New York, we have no idea how long this service will be required," they add, "But we intend to be there."
Canadians seeking information on family members in the affected areas should call their local Red Cross office. Canadians wishing to help with the relief efforts may make a financial donation by calling 1-800-418-1111 or contacting their local Canadian Red Cross office. The 24-hour toll free line accepts Visa and MasterCard. Cheques should be made payable to the Canadian Red Cross, earmarked "U. S. A. Appeal" and mailed to Canadian Red Cross National Office, 170 Metcalfe Street, Suite 300, Ottawa, Ontario, K2P 2P2. On-line donations are accepted at www.redcross.ca. Any funds not used for this disaster will be transferred to the International Disaster Relief Fund for future relief operations. Donations of goods are not accepted.
Bernard Barrett, Canadian Red Cross relief worker in New York.
Reprinted with permission from Canadian Red Cross Web site: www.redcross.ca
Just what is Urban SAR?
Urban SAR is on the minds of many people these days, especially those
in law enforcement.
It's not magic - it's really about applying existing theories that have been built upon by trial and error. Simply put, urban SAR involves assembling and co-ordinating resources to find lost or missing persons or people who are trapped or stranded. It also can include recovery and collecting evidence.
ASSEMBLING AND CO-ORDINATING RESOURCES
Assembling and co-ordinating resources can be very time-consuming, especially
without trained volunteers. Having trained volunteers at the initial stages
of a search can be critical. It can be tempting to use untrained volunteers
because they are usually both present and eager, but your probability
of detection (POD) will likely suffer if you do. Using trained volunteers
also eases the burden of law enforcement when dealing with property searches.
LOST PERSONS
First things first: Are they actually lost? Or have they simply wandered
off somewhere? Do they have a history of this? A thorough investigation,
early on - even before a search is initiated - might suggest where the
person can be found.
TRAPPED OR STRANDED PERSONS
A search may not be necessary, but you must establish if it is your responsibility
to co-ordinate the rescue. Check with all your local departments and clearly
define who does what. They may have training you don't, and of course,
it's vital to work together.
RECOVERY AND EVIDENCE
In some cases, unfortunately, you may not be searching for a live subject.
Urban SAR is more likely to entail criminal activity, so you have to be
careful about evidence. Choose your people carefully, train them, and
remind them what evidence is, how to locate it and how to collect it properly.
Local policies will determine the method.
I hope this partly answers the question I keep hearing over and over - just what is urban SAR?
Paul Olmstead is a constable with the Edmonton Police Service assigned
to the Parks Unit. As one of 15 search managers, he travels throughout
Alberta and the North teaching SAR courses and consulting with communities
on a variety of related topics.
Heavy Urban SAR
It would be an understatement to say the world changed on 11 September
2001. As a member of the emergency management community, I thought I would
take this opportunity to pass on some behind-the-scenes planning not covered
by the media. Heavy Urban Search and Rescue (HUSAR) in Canada includes:
- finding trapped persons in collapsed structures using dogs and sophisticated search equipment,
- using heavy equipment (e. g., cranes) to remove debris,
- working to breach, shore, lift and remove structural components,
- treating and removing victims, and
- securing partially or completely collapsed structures.
In Canada, the Office of Critical Infrastructure Protection and Emergency Preparedness (OCIPEP) co-ordinates the National HUSAR program, in conjunction with the various provincial emergency measures organizations (EMOs). There is no easy way to define a yypical HUSAR task force or team because a number of organizations can influence its make-up.
The largest and most influential of these are the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG). The former is the regulatory body for the United States and the latter is the regulatory body for the Office of the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs of the United Nations (UN-OCHA). Each has its own distinct operational experience and requirements. Resources from both organizations can be found at www.fema.gov and www.reliefweb.int/insarag/.
There has been much discussion in the Canadian HUSAR community about
the appropriate organizational model to use. Keeping in mind that HUSAR
culture in
Canada is in its infancy, with the possible exceptions of Calgary and
Vancouver, much work must be done before any decision is made.
HUSAR is considered a multi-hazard discipline. A HUSAR-capable response may be needed for a wide variety of emergencies or disasters, including earthquakes, hurricanes, typhoons, storms and tornadoes, flood dam failures, technological accidents, terrorist activities and hazardous material releases. A HUSAR task force/ team acts as a framework, structuring existing emergency service personnel, particularly public works and emergency services members, as well as other city employees into an integrated response unit. Most municipally based HUSAR task forces/ teams take advantage of the existing emergency service infrastructures to support them. The emergency service personnel who perform this work on a daily basis will be further trained in many related fields of rescue, giving them the ability to function as an independent unit if necessary.
A typical HUSAR task force/ team could comprise 65 members and is divided into five major functional elements - search, rescue, emergency medical services, planning and technical information, and logistics.
Task force/ team members would include structural engineers, hazardous material specialists, heavy rigging specialists, rescue specialists, search specialists (including highly trained search dogs), logistics specialists, medical specialists (paramedics) and emergency physicians.
Currently, Canada's HUSAR resources rest predominantly in the west. Vancouver's team was recently certified as a Canadian HUSAR Task Force and it will be deployable once a validated air movement plan is put in place. It should be noted, however, that the Vancouver team was not conceptually conceived or developed by a single municipality or government, but was the product of the foresight, commitment and work of countless individuals across Canada. Likewise, Calgary has a team that will be ready for national deployment with some financial support. Many other communities including Regina, Winnipeg, Ottawa, Toronto and some municipalities in Eastern Canada, are developing HUSAR response capabilities. Nevertheless, as with many other initiatives, there are funding restrictions, the largest being the significant amount of financial resources required for a relatively small number of responses.
With the events of 11 September behind us, much is being done to solve some of these issues. It is hoped all the stakeholders will decide collectively that this type of capability is necessary. OCIPEP has consulted with most, if not all, provinces and territories on HUSAR-related issues.
The HUSAR community looks forward to renewing the Working Group meetings and finalizing a HUSAR national strategy. As the saying goes, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." Let's hope we never forget the past.
Alan Thomas Jr., C. D. Captain, Special Operations, HUSAR, Toronto
Fire Services
Outstanding SAR Achievement Award Winner
On 10 December 2001, at a special ceremony at National Defence Headquarters,
the Honourable Art Eggleton, Minister of National Defence and Lead Minister
Responsible for Search and Rescue, presented Mr. Jeff Eggleton, of the
Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary
and Canadian Power and Sail Squadron, with the National Search and Rescue
Secretariat's 2001 Outstanding Search and Rescue Achievement Award.
 |
| Bill Reid, Russell Craig Dunn, Jeff Eggleton, the Honourable Art Eggleton, Sandy Guse, Guy Kerr. David Taylor was unable to attend the ceremony. |
"Ensuring safety on our country's inland waterways is not an easy task, but for years this challenge has been met by SAR organizations across Canada," said the Minister. "Jeff Eggleton exemplifies the dedication and skill shared by everyone involved with Canadian SAR."
From conducting training and boating safety initiatives with the Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary, to developing inter-agency programs for the Canadian Power and Sail Squadron, Mr. Jeff Eggleton has significantly improved marine education and safety in the Niagara Peninsula area.
The Minister also presented four Certificates of Achievement in Search and Rescue at the ceremony in recognition of the dedication and professionalism of search and rescue providers across the country. The following recipients were awarded this distinction.
MR. RUSSELL CRAIG DUNN
Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary (Pacific), Victoria, B. C.
Mr. Dunn has been involved in marine search and rescue for 16 years. A
volunteer with the Coast Guard Auxiliary since 1986, he is an ambassador
for SAR. He has built relations between the Pacific Region Coast Guard
Auxiliary and organizations such as the Canadian Coast Guard, Department
of National Defence, United States Coast Guard and the United States Coast
Guard Auxiliary.
MR. SANDY GUSE
Lakehead Search and Rescue, Murillo, ON
Mr. Guse is the commander of the Lakehead Search and Rescue unit in Thunder
Bay, Ontario. He is a qualified Ontario Search and Rescue Volunteer Association
(OSARVA) teacher and an initiator in providing SAR training to both the
public and unit members.
MR. GUY KERR
British Columbia Provincial Emergency Program, Victoria, BC
Mr. Kerr has 11 years of experience in SAR. Before moving to the British
Columbia Provincial Emergency Program, he was a board member of SAR Alberta,
President of the Foothills Search and Rescue Society, a member of CASARA
Calgary, and a Search and Rescue Co-ordinator for the Calgary Police Service.
MR. WILLIAM D. (BILL) REID
Yukon Civil Air Search and Rescue Association (CASARA), Whitehorse, YK
After 33 years in Emergency Services, Mr. Reid formed the Yukon CASARA.
He was elected Director and National Board member and held these positions
for 16 years. Every aircraft that has been searched for in Yukon in the
past 16 years has been found. Due in part to his advocacy of safety programs,
no CASARA member has ever been injured during SAR operations in his jurisdiction.
MR. DAVID TAYLOR
Department of Resources, Government of Northwest Territories, Yellowknife,
NWT
Although not present for the official ceremony, Mr. Taylor was also awarded
the Certificate of Achievement. An active member of CASARA-Yellowknife
since 1991, he has been instrumental in helping to develop the Northwest
Territories CASARA as a search and rescue organization. Now the Zone Commander
for his chapter, Mr. Taylor has a hand in practically all search and rescue
activities in the Northwest Territories.
Tina Bouchard, NSS
GOVERNOR GENERAL HONOURS CF MEMBERS
Seven Canadian Forces members - five of them search and rescue technicians
- were honoured by Governor General Adrienne Clarkson.
The Medal of Bravery was presented to Captain Denis Couture, Sergeant Kenneth Power, Sergeant Barry Doyle, Sergeant Éric Larouche, Master Corporal Sylvain Trudel and Master Corporal Wayne Simpson at Rideau Hall in December.
The Meritorious Service Decoration (military division) was presented in October to Commodore Drew Robertson.
Gloria Kelly, Printed courtesy of Maple
Leaf magazine, 19 September 2001,
Vol. 4, No. 33.
Man-Trackers & Dog Handlers in Search and Rescue
Someone gets lost in the woods. Search and rescue resources are called
in to help find them. Trackers and dog handlers arrive on the scene. The
incident commander decides to pair the two SAR resources. Sounds like
a match made in heaven, right? . . . Not necessarily.
Man-Trackers & Dog Handlers in Search and Rescue by Greg Fuller,
Ed Johnson and Robert Koester is an easy-to-understand guide for trackers
working with dog teams, dog handlers and incident commanders who have
to co-ordinate both these assets. 
The authors know their subject. Greg Fuller is the director of the Search and Rescue Tracking Institute in Virginia and a tracking instructor for the Virginia Department of Emergency Services. Ed Johnson was a dog handler and is also involved with the Search and Rescue Tracking Institute. Robert Koester is an incident commander in the Appalachian Search and Rescue Conference and the president of the Virginia Search and Rescue Council.
Each chapter in the guide presents new information on the dog handler-tracker relationship. There are chapters on search management, tracking resources and tactics, and search-dog resources and tactics.
The authors point out misconceptions about both tracking and dog handling, and they explain how these resources can help in a search. Trackers are introduced to the concerns of canine teams and handlers, and vice versa. The last section looks at training.
Man-Trackers & Dog Handlers in Search and Rescue is a useful book for any tracker, handler or search manager. It provides basic information on everything from tactics and guidelines, to skills and suggestions.
Trackers and dog handlers might not be a match made in heaven, but it
just might be a
match that can save lives.
Jon Elliott, Co-op student
Mount Saint Vincent University