*About PDF Documents

SAR NEWS

RCMP Corporal awarded Meritorious Service Medal
Corporal Dwayne Jennings, of Vancouver, British Columbia has
another medal to add to his collection.

Cpl. Jennings, an RCMP helicopter pilot, was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal by Governor General Adrienne Clarkson in December 2003 for rescuing a stranded police crew in November 2001.

A helicopter pilot, Cpl. Jennings transported a search and rescue crew to the mountainside where his colleagues were trapped. In spite of extreme weather conditions, Cpl. Jennings was able to land the helicopter on the tip of one skid three times to unload search and rescue personnel and supplies to aid the stranded officers.

Cpl. Jennings has received two other awards for his life-saving efforts, including the RCMP Commissioner's Commendation in February 2002 and the federal government's Treasury Board Award of Excellence in June 2003.

444 Squadron wins 2003 Mynarski trophy
In July 2002, 444 Squadron's Rescue 475 crew responded to a Canadian Forces Griffon crash north of Goose Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador, saving the life of a seriously injured crash victim.

The conditions were poor with fading light, deteriorating weather and fuel running low. Despite the situation, the Rescue 475 crew was able to save a Griffon crew member.

The crew is being recognized with the Mynarski trophy for the professionalism, determination and bravery they showed in the face of adversity. The trophy, Canada's highest award for excellence in the field of air search and rescue, memorializes Pilot Officer Andrew Charles Mynarski of 419 Squadron who was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for attempting to free a rear air gunner from their burning Lancaster bomber.

Pirated TV cards interfere with emergency beacon signals
Pirated video cards for satellite TV receivers are causing interference with satellite receivers used for search and rescue operations.

Video cards capture the satellite signal and allow the user to watch
television channels sent out by the satellite. For those who pay for satellite service, they capture only the signals they pay for. For example, if you do not pay for the travel channel, you do not receive the signal for it.

For those who do not pay for satellite service and program their card via a computer, they receive all the signals sent by a satellite and can watch any and all channels.

The Canadian Mission Control Centre (CMCC), Trenton, Ontario, became aware of the problem in late 2001 when it noticed interference with emergency locator beacon (ELTs) signals used by aircraft. It became apparent in early 2002 this was a larger problem than first imagined.

The emergency transmitters send a beacon signal when an aircraft has crashed. Signals from video cards have caused search and rescue officials to believe aircraft have crashed when no accident has occurred.

When a beacon sends a distress signal, it is picked up by one of the orbiting satellites which will then relay the beacon position to rescue authorities.

Although CMCC can usually tell the difference between signal interference and an actual distress call, the real hazard is the signal sent out by the pirated card. These false signals can mask the real distress signals and hamper search and rescue operations.

Municipal sponsorship improves ground SAR in Alberta
An Alberta government special grant initiative will provide $150,000 for ground search and rescue training in small and medium-sized communities with a population of 20,000 or less.

The funds are part of a $500,000 grant that was provided by the Municipal Sponsorship Program.

The money can be used for workshops, seminars, disaster exercises and mock disasters.

The Municipal Sponsorship Program was established in 1998 to ensure public safety services across Alberta are strong.

Emergency beacons on display in Montreal
Transport Canada's Transportation Development Centre (TDC) helped launch an exhibition at the Montreal Science Centre this past January of emergency position indicating radio beacons and personal locator beacons.

Howard Posluns, Chief of Advanced Technology with the TDC, was at the opening event talking about emergency beacons and their applications for search and rescue.

The exhibit, which will last approximately three years, is largely youth-oriented.

Fire brigade practices winter water and ice rescue
by Robert Lynch

The Harbour Grace Volunteer Fire Brigade Land Based Cold Water Rescue team held their winter practice schedule one evening in mid-February, 2003.
Conditions were ideal for rescue scenarios and broken ice entry techniques. The slipway area of the marina was frozen enough to walk on and once out on the ice an area of open water was available under a board walk overpass. The opening in the ice was large enough to practice scenarios using the Rescue Alive equipment.

Members of the Brigade practice using the Rescue Alive platform on ice and in the water. Photo courtesy of Robert Lynch.

The team placed four members in the icy water wearing full dry suits fitted with knives, ice picks, harnesses, flashlights, strobe lights, safety lines and goggles. The four members
practised with the Rescue Alive platform while eight members served as shore tenders and safety officers.

Team leader Bill Ryan set up scenarios whereby the teams would walk the Rescue Alive platform across the ice surface, enter the water and complete the rescue of the victims in the water. The practice stressed proper hand signals, because unclear signalling presents many problems.

Team members demonstrated water entry from the ice edge and from broken ice. The team also practised the do's and don't's of using the Rescue Alive platform.

Robert Lynch is a 16-year veteran volunteer firefighter with the Brigade.

Correction: The new National Directory of Emergency Services contains 136 pages, not 36 as reported in the last issue of SARSCENE.

Correction: The article "How hunters help and hinder search and
rescue," in SARSCENE magazine's Vol 13, #2 issue, concluded that there hadn't been a search for a missing hunter in seven or eight years. However, according to Keith Crosland, Nova Scotia Emergency Measures Organization Western Zone Controller and Provincial Ground Search and Rescue Coordinator, there have been 29 searches for lost hunters between 1999 and 2003.

New Search and Rescue Initiatives Fund projects approved for 2004-05
The 2004-05 New Search and Rescue Initiatives Fund projects include the development of a multi-agency incident command structure for ground SAR, a new volunteer marine SAR training program using a marine simulator, a helicopter hover exit training and wilderness rescue exercise, to a public avalanche safety awareness project.

The Honourable David Pratt, Lead Minister for Search and Rescue, announced the projects in February 2004.

The fund, with an annual budget of $8.1 million, supports search and rescue projects that enhance air, marine and ground search and rescue activities in Canada. Since 1988, it has invested $130 million in over 700 projects.

New rescue laser flare a handy tool for search and rescue
A new hand-held signaling device can help rescuers find victims faster, especially in low visibility areas and conditions.

Tested in Calgary, Alberta in August 2003, the rescue laser flare was used by the Calgary Police Air Services Unit during a nighttime search for four rafters who were overdue.

Rescue crews located the victims and transported two of the four rafters to safety.

The last two rafters were given the rescue laser flare to assist the flight crew in relocating them on the return trip.

In this case, the laser was very effective as a position marker and a signaling device.

The rescue laser flare can be seen up to 20 miles away at night, and as far away as three miles during the day.

It is waterproof up to 80 feet and can run for 15 hours on two replaceable batteries.

Not only can it be seen from far way, but it can penetrate smoke and fog.
For more information about this device, visit www.concordeaerosales.com/signal/laserflare.html

Canoeist is first PLB rescue in the U.S.
November 2003 marked a new era for personal locator beacon (PLB) use in the United States. Carl Skalak, from Cleveland, Ohio, became the first person outside Alaska to be rescued using PLB technology since it was approved for use in the U.S. in July 2003.

Before July, PLBs were in use only in Alaska under a test program to evaluate their usefulness for search and rescue.

While on a solo canoe trip in the Adirondack Mountains in upstate New York, Skalak, 55, became disoriented in the frigid weather and activated his beacon.

Because he had properly registered his PLB, his location was confirmed and it wasn't long before a rescue operation was launched.

Without the beacon, Skalak's life could have been in danger if he had become hypothermic, run out of supplies or wandered far away from his campsite and any hope of rescue.

New funding for Nunavik search and rescue operations
New funding to Nunavik's search and rescue operations will improve current resources and help local groups in future searches. The $1.5 million funding from the regional government will help fund specialized equipment, tailored for search and rescue in the North.

By virtue of its remoteness, search and rescue in the north is inherently different from the south; resources are limited and weather conditions can be extreme.

Having specialized equipment tailored to Northern Canada's search and rescue needs, will help local groups respond to SAR emergencies and to be less dependent on outside help.

Program transfer to Transport Canada finalized
John Adams, Commissioner of the Canadian Coast Guard, announced the official transfer of all marine safety policy development to Transport Canada.
Named in the transfer are the Office of Boating Safety, the Navigable Waters Protection Program, the policy component of the Environmental Protection Program and the Canada Shipping Act Regulatory Reform. The shift provides mariners with a single point of contact for marine navigation policy and related issues.

RCMP Officer mourned
RCMP Corporal James Galloway died tragically in late February 2004 while responding to a domestic disturbance call in a community near Edmonton.

A tragic loss to the search and rescue community, Cpl. Galloway will be remembered for his dedication to ground search and rescue and his leadership in the RCMP Civilian Search and Rescue Dog Association.

Ann Odgers, a volunteer with CASARA Ontario, said Cpl. Galloway "truly was the epitome of a SAR person. 'So Others May Live' was how he lived his life and eventually lost it. He was a strong supporter of volunteers and we certainly don't have enough of those."

Cpl. Galloway was recognized by his colleagues in 2002 when he was awarded the NSS Certificate of Achievement for initiatives in search and rescue. Cpl. Galloway will be greatly missed.

"Jim's death was a great tragedy to his family, his fellow police officers, dog handlers everywhere and the SAR community," Ms. Odgers added.

Interactive directory of Canadian search and rescue organizations
Just a reminder to update your organization's information on the interactive directory of Canadian search and rescue organizations.

SAR organizations can access the database directly to change, update or delete information or to add new entries.

New online independent study course
Called the "Introduction to Community Response Teams," this new initiative is an online, independent study course that can serve as either an introduction to those wanting to join a community emergency response teams (CERTs), or as a refresher to current team members.

It has six modules with topics that include an introduction to CERT, fire safety, hazardous material and terrorist incidents, disaster medical operations, and search and rescue. It takes between six and eight hours to complete the course, and those who are successful will receive a certification of completion from the Independent Study Office.For more information visit http://training.fema.gov/emiweb/IS/is317.asp

Back to Table of Contents