* About PDF Documents

ARTICLES

SARSCENE 2008:
Strengthening partnerships in the SAR community

While attending SARSCENE 2008, participants enjoyed the beautiful sights of St. John’s.
Photo Credit: Kim Fauteux

By Kim Fauteux

The 17th edition of the SARSCENE conference, the largest national Search and Rescue (SAR) conference and expo, was held in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, on October 15 to 18, 2008. Over 500 SAR delegates from Canada, the USA, Ireland, the United Kingdom, France, Brazil and New Zealand attended the conference.

The National Search and Rescue Secretariat (NSS), along with Newfoundland and Labrador’s Search and Rescue Association and Department of Justice, worked hard as co-hosts to ensure that this year’s conference, whose theme was “Strengthening Parnerships”, would be engaging and interactive. Over 50 presentations and workshops were offered to participants on topics such as SAR Dogs in International Missions, Successful Partnerships, Alternative Alerting Technologies, COSPAS-SARSAT and Fundraising.

More than 40 exhibitors took part in the SARSCENE Expo, which provided participants with an opportunity to learn about various SAR initiatives, products, and services available to the SAR community. SAR professionals also had the opportunity to mingle and meet new people during the Welcome Reception on October 15, the Volunteer Appreciation Night on the 16th and the organized tour of George Street on the 17th.

Plenary Sessions and Presentations

Anna Gainey, Executive Director of the Gainey Foundation. Photo Credit: Doug Allen

After the opening ceremony on October 15, participants had the opportunity to listen to moving presentations. Anna Gainey, from the Gainey Foundation, addressed the SAR community. The Gainey Foundation was established in memory of Cathy and Laura Gainey, wife and daughter of hockey legend Bob Gainey, after the sudden loss of Laura. Anna Gainey spoke of the ordeal her family went through when her sister Laura was swept off the deck of a tall ship into the Atlantic Ocean in December 2006.

Anna and her family, who are still dealing with the aftermath of the tragedy, were thankful for the help of the SAR community. “For most people, search and rescue is not something that we know much about until we need it, and I think as Canadians, we are very, very fortunate that when we need it, it’s there. For us, this was the case. Our family will always be deeply grateful for the efforts that went into the search for my sister”, said the Executive Director of the Gainey Foundation.

Jacquie and Larry Beveridge. Photo Credit: Doug Allen

Another powerful message was delivered by Larry and Jacquie Beveridge when they recounted the loss of their nine year-old son Jimmy, who got lost during a family camping trip in 1981. They also talked about the Hug-a-Tree and Survive program. This program, which the Beveridges have been involved with for many years, teaches children between the ages of 5-12 basic survival skills in case they get lost in the woods.

Ron Foxcroft, of Fox 40 International, also gave a presentation on how the famous Fox 40 pealess whistle was invented, and about its use by SAR professionals around the world. The plenary closed with an inspiring story of survival, a video documentary about the story of Lucie Harris, who in 1936, was lost in the woods and was able to survive an amazing 11 nights and 10 days in frigid weather. Lucy was invited to attend SARSCENE 2008 as it was the tenth anniversary of the release of the documentary outlining her miraculous survival.

The 2008 SARSCENE Games were held at the Rotary Sunshine Park. Photo Credit: Kim Fauteux

SARSCENE Games

On October 15, in Rotary Sunshine Park, 12 teams competed in a friendly competition called the SARSCENE Games. The oneday event consisted of a series of six SAR-related challenges that demanded cooperation, knowledge and quick-thinking by teams of four people.

A team is showing its first aid skills at the Games. Photo Credit: Kim Fauteux

The events, including survival skills and evidence search, featured core skills, such as line-heaving accuracy, first aid and emergency scene management, clue detection and evidence handling, as well as teamwork.

During the Welcome Reception, held on the evening of October 15, the top three teams were awarded medals, and the overall winning team saw its name inscribed on the William Slaughter Cup, and received a commemorative plaque. The Irish Coast Guard took in third place, while the Sureté du Québec finished second. The Avalon North Wolverines of Newfoundland and Labrador had the honour of being declared champions of the 2008 SARSCENE Games.

The next morning, at 5 a.m., the Wolverines were called out to an actual search and rescue to Green’s Harbour, Trinity Bay. A 53 year-old man had become separated from his hunting partners the day before, and a search was launched by RCMP helicopter, police service dogs and the Wolverines. The Irish Coast Guard went along to lend a helping hand to their friends. The man was found unharmed at about 11 a.m.

SAR demonstration on the water. Photo Credit: Doug Allen

On October 16, SARSCENE participants were able to participate in a town hall discussion, which examined distress alerting in the 21st century. Participants had the opportunity to ask questions of experts on this issue, as well as share their own experiences and opinions about distress alerting, emergency beacons and emerging technologies.

Two SAR demonstrations were held on October 15 and 18. The people that gathered at the lake had the opportunity to see first-hand rescue procedures from aircrews, and fast rescue craft and hovercraft. A “victim” was also located, treated and transferred from cliffs to a rescue craft below, to a larger vessel, and finally air lifted by helicopter. Personnel from the Canadian Coast Guard and Auxiliary, CASARA, Newfoundland and Labrador Ground Search and Rescue, St. John’s Regional Fire Department and Department of National Defence were available to answer questions and had equipment on display.

A rescue specialist is being lowered to the water to “rescue a victim” during the SAR demonstration. Photo Credit: Doug Allen

2008 SAR Awards

The 2008 SAR Awards Banquet was held on the evening of October 18. Seven people/groups received Certificates of Achievement for their work and dedication to SAR. The recipients of the certificates were the CCGA – Pacific Unit 14 Gibsons (William Parsons, Marcel Van Der Stelt, Adrian White and Elaine James), Whitney Numan, Al Ekholm, Darren Buck, Bob Smith, Roland Hanel and the Unified Command Exercise Working Group (Lori-Anne Duffy, John Drake, Paul Olshefsky, Scott Stevenson, Roger Steadman, Michel Villeneuve and Barry Folland).

The 2008 NSS Outstanding SAR Achievement Award was presented to Silvie Montier, for her work in the SAR community with her dog Dante. Over the years, Silvie and Dante travelled to many places, including Algeria, Mexico, Haiti and Peru, to lend a hand to those in crisis.

Géraldine Underdown, Executive Director of the NSS, was very pleased with the 2008 SARSCENE conference. “In my view, we will all be able to look back on SARSCENE 2008 as an unqualified success. The conference’s theme – Strengthening Partnerships – began a transformation to solid action over the course of the week, as we continued to learn from each other, which will make our search and rescue system, which is already world class, even better!”

From left to right, Bob Smith, Al Ekholm, William Parsons, Whitney Numan, Darren Buck, Silvie Montier, Géraldine Underdown, NSS Executive Director, Roger Steadman, Michel Villeneuve, Lori-Anne Duffy, Paul Olschefsky and Roland Hanel. Photo Credit: Doug Allen

 Table of Contents