GROUND SAR
Groundbreaking national criteria adopted for SAR volunteers
 Volunteers
in ground Search and Rescue (GSAR) operations in Canada marked a major
milestone on September 12th with the adoption of a common set of national
criteria for GSAR training and proficiency. The culmination of a two-year
project, the first-ever common criteria will serve as the foundation for
the harmonization of GSAR standards nationwide, and ultimately, certification
of the skills of GSAR workers across Canada.
GSAR training and skill levels difficult to gauge
GSAR operations have never been national in scope. They come under provincial
and territorial jurisdictions, with regional police agencies managing
and conducting GSAR missions, employing standards and procedures, which
can vary significantly from region to region.
Police in most jurisdictions rely on GSAR volunteers to assist in search
operations, but the degree to which they employ them varies. This is a
result of the fact that while the required GSAR skills are well known
among disciplined GSAR volunteers, actual training standards and recognized
skill levels vary significantly across the country. The lack of a common
structure to validate skill levels has made it difficult for police agencies
to determine how to best use volunteer GSAR resources.
In addition, GSAR operations are becoming increasingly sophisticated.
There is a greater emphasis on analytical search techniques based on data,
which shows that lost people display specific and predictable behavioral
patterns related to their age, mental capabilities and mental states.
GSAR workers must be versed in satellite navigation techniques, as well
as a growing array of complex communications and information technologies.
There are constant advances in first aid and emergency medical treatments
that must be learned. As a result, GSAR workers must have a wider range
of specialized training and expertise that go beyond basic search, survival
and orienteering skills.
GSAR certification
"With nationally recognized GSAR criteria we can get a handle on
grading and identifying skill levels, as well as the training requirements
for GSAR volunteers across the country," explains NSS GSAR Project
Director John Chaffey. "This will enable police authorities to use
these resources far more effectively and with greater confidence."
The common criteria will allow different jurisdictions to share resources
and paves the way for mutual aid agreements. They will facilitate the
delivery of consistent and cost-effective training to produce certified
GSAR experts and create a national pool of skilled emergency personnel.
Certification will also increase the mobility of GSAR workers as their
skill levels and credentials will be recognized across the country.
Consensus among thirteen jurisdictions
Thirteen separate jurisdictions have adopted the common set of GSAR standards,
as part of a project that was facilitated by the NSS. Funded through the
New SAR Initiatives Fund (NIF), it was a cooperative effort of the National
Ground SAR Council, which is made up of all the provincial and territorial
GSAR authorities.
The Council appointed a working group to develop methods for uniting
the training and management structures of GSAR operations across Canada.
Comprised of major police agencies and provincial GSAR volunteer associations,
the working group met over a two-year period to develop the national GSAR
criteria.
The criteria model
Consisting of three GSAR training levels-basic, advanced and management-the
criteria outline the degree of instruction required for each GSAR level,
as well as the essential elements to be included within the official standards
of any GSAR organization. The criteria also include a GSAR vision and
principles, and a glossary of standardized GSAR terms.
"This model enables GSAR authorities in all the jurisdictions to
develop training and procedures, which address the vital elements of GSAR
operations, while still allowing each jurisdiction to set their own specific
standards to address regional differences related to organizational, geographical,
environmental and cultural factors. " says Mr. Chaffey.
National identity
Beyond standardized training and skill requirements, the adoption of
common GSAR criteria will advance GSAR operations in other ways. Most
importantly, it will serve as the keystone to create a national identity
for GSAR authorities.
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| New common GSAR criteria will ensure
consistency in general GSAR procedures and training nationwide. |
"The combination of separate jurisdictions and lack of national
standards has made it difficult for GSAR authorities to gain the same
type of national profile as the Canadian Coast Guard, for example,"
notes Mr. Chaffey. "We now have the ability to build a national identity,
which will provide for greater corporate, academic and political interest
in GSAR activities and offer opportunities for national sponsorships and
fund-raising programs."
With national common criteria now officially in place, the NSS and GSAR
authorities are now moving to implement and apply the criteria. NIF funding
is also being sought for this second phase of the project, is aimed at
enhancing ongoing communications among provincial and territorial GSAR
authorities and on building on the new criteria to create an official
Canadian GSAR accreditation and management program.
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