*About PDF Documents

SAR NEW INITIATIVES FUND

National simulation exercise program for GSAR

After having conducted 18 table-top exercises with more than 400 participants from various organizations (under NIF project PC 2/02), the Parks Canada organizers noticed the lack of an important concept in these multi-jurisdictional simulation exercises: a unified command structure based on the Incident Command System (ICS) structure in each province and territory.

Funded by the Search and Rescue New Initiatives Fund (SAR NIF) and sponsored by Parks Canada, the table-top exercise was the first opportunity for many participants to be involved in such an exercise and it was the first face-to-face meeting with other players in the community. The participants were glad to have an avenue to demonstrate and analyze emergency plans for their communities and noted these table-top exercises are a perfect lead-up to simulated exercises.

Drawing on knowledge from the RCMP and its ICS structure, Parks Canada will form a working group with representatives from organizations such as the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary, the RCMP, Parks Canada, the Ontario Provincial Police, la Sûreté du Québec and the National SAR Secretariat, to develop a system that will be useable by ground SAR groups across the country.

When finished, a series of simulation exercises will be conducted in each province and territory to demonstrate use of the integrated command system.
PC 2004050

Online Path Monitoring System

Few boaters, hunters, snowmobilers, hikers and others fill out a trip planning form before going on a trip, but a new project is determined to change this pattern.

The Online Path Monitoring System project, sponsored by la Sûreté du Québec and funded by the Search and Rescue New Initiatives Fund (SAR NIF), encourages people in Montreal and the surrounding areas to fill out the form with its automated online system.

Before going on a trip, the user fills out the form and includes information about the route planned, number of people in the party, equipment carried, destination, vehicle information, emergency contacts and date of return.

Each trip receives its own excursion number and on the specified contact date(s) listed on the form, the user calls the automated service. With this excursion number, the person can use the voice menus to report a trip status. For example:
• the trip is complete
• the trip is delayed and there is a new contact date
• the trip is cancelled.

If a contact date passes and the user does not call into the system, emergency contacts are informed and asked to verify if a rescue is needed. If so, the system will inform the authorities, providing all the information included on the form, to initiate the search.

For an annual fee the system can be used for any and all trips throughout the year.
QC 2004007

Video-based Automatic Station Keeping

With the retirement of the Labrador helicopter and the transition to the Cormorant for search and rescue missions, an important design difference between the two aircraft was apparent. The hoist position of the Cormorant is further back than that of the Labrador, making it more difficult for the Cormorant pilot to accurately see what is happening. This means the pilot has to rely on crew members to relay relative position information.

The solution is the Automatic Station Keeping (ASK) project, sponsored by the Department of National Defence, which uses video to track a user-selected reference point. Funded by the Search and Rescue New Initiatives Fund (SAR NIF), the ASK system enables the pilot to maintain position over the intended target without having to rely on information from others. This will improve the efficiency of SAR hoist operations, which would reduce time and risks associated with these operations.

Being able to view and hover over a specific target is especially important when hoisting a person over featureless terrain, such as sand, water or snow, and in conditions of low visibility.

Expected to be completed in 2005-2006, the ASK system will increase the operational effectiveness and reduce the time required to execute the rescue, which also reduces the crew's exposure to the hazardous part of the mission.
DND 1/03

Cruise ship activity and risk analysis for improved SAR response planning

There are more cruise ships entering Canadian waters with more passengers, traveling more often into remote locations. These factors increase the potential for a major marine disaster.

As a result of this, and other industry trends, the Canadian Coast Guard (Department of Fisheries and Oceans) sponsored a project to clearly identify these trends and produce a risk analysis. This project is intended to improve prevention measures and the allocation of search and rescue resources.

Funded by the Search and Rescue New Initiatives Fund (SAR NIF), the project team, the Maritime Activity and Risk Investigation Network (MARIN) group from Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, is reviewing all relevant studies to determine current and best practices to reduce risk and is researching national cruise ship activity, patterns and trends.

A major marine disaster involving a large passenger ship will also affect the Department of National Defence, who would be called upon for air support and co-ordination, provincial Emergency Measures Organizations for shore-based logistical support, Transport Canada, RCMP, Canada Border Services Agency and other stakeholders.

Dr. Ron Pelot will be giving a presentation on this topic at SARSCENE 2005, October 5-8 in Charlottetown, PEI.
DFO 9/03

News from the Search and Rescue New Initiatives Fund

The SAR New Initiatives Fund (SAR NIF) is currently in transition, as it undergoes Treasury Board approval of revised terms and conditions, in addition to adopting new financial procedures.

Until the Treasury Board of Canada has approved the renewed terms and conditions, and the accompanying guides and management tools are published, both ongoing projects and new starts could be affected to some degree. To understand the potential impact on and courses of action for your project(s), please contact the organization that manages your project, or go to the SAR NIF section of the website.

The National Search and Rescue Secretariat looks forward to unveiling the renewed program as soon as possible in 2005. There will be briefings on NIF renewal at the SARSCENE Workshop in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, October 5-8, 2005.

More information about the New SAR Initiatives Fund

Back to Table of Contents