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SAR NEWS

CRTC announces enhancements to wireless 911 services

OTTAWA-GATINEAU — On February 1, 2009, the Canadian Radiotelevision and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) gave Canadian wireless service providers a one-year deadline to upgrade their 911 services. By February 1, 2010, at the latest, emergency responders must be able to determine the location of a person using a cell phone to call 911 with much greater precision.

“With more than 20 million wireless subscribers in Canada, it is imperative that emergency responders can quickly and accurately locate those who use their cell phones to call 911,” said Konrad von Finckenstein, Chairman of the CRTC. “I am pleased that the industry has come forward with a technical solution, and that there is now nothing standing in the way of the implementation of enhanced 911 features. The safety and security of Canadians will be greatly improved as a result.”

In an emergency situation where the caller is unable to speak or cannot identify his or her location, the ability to provide emergency responders with more accurate information of the cell phone’s location can make the difference between life and death. Current 911 services rely on the position of the cell phone tower nearest to the caller. As such, emergency responders are only able to determine if a caller is in a sector within the area served by the tower, and not a specific area or location.

The enhanced features that will be implemented over the next 12 months represent a significant improvement to current wireless E911 services. Using wireless-location technology such as Global Positioning System or triangulation technology, emergency responders will be able to receive a caller’s location generally within a radius of 10 to 300 metres.

eless industry a one-year deadline to put the enhanced 911 features into operation, they will be available in some markets much sooner. The Commission encourages wireless service providers to offer the enhanced 911 features as soon as possible.

Wireless service providers must inform their customers of the availability, characteristics and limitations of their enhanced 911 services before they are implemented, and reiterate them on an annual basis thereafter.

In addition, any new wireless service provider entering the Canadian market after February 1, 2010, will be required to support the enhanced 911 features from the moment it launches.

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Winterman Marathon

By Kim Fauteux

On February 22, over 800 participants gathered for the first Winterman Marathon, which was held in the national capital during Winterlude, Ottawa’s annual winter festival. The Marathon was an official race in the 2009 Somersault Run Series, and was organized by Somersault Promotions, in partnership with Search and Rescue (SAR) Global 1, a non-profit, volunteer-based SAR organization serving the Ottawa-Gatineau region.

“There has never been a full winter marathon before in the region, so it is a first. It went very well, much better than we expected”, stated Lawrence Conway, president of SAR Global 1, who also took part in the race. He mentioned that the organizing committee was pleasantly surprised with the number of runners, since it had planned for 300 to 400 people.

Winterman marathon runners on February 22, 2009. Photo Credit: Arthur Smith

On that day, people were also able to run a half marathon, 10km or 5km. Somersault also came up with the idea of having relay teams of two, four and eight in the marathon.

“From a SAR perspective, it was a great experience partnering in the event with over 100 volunteers supporting the race. It was a great opportunity to work on logistics, communications and first aid skills”, explained Mr. Conway. The SAR Global 1 president also mentioned that they had raised about $5,000 for the event. He also communicated that the money will be going towards a much needed Command Vehicle.

The SAR organization is always looking for volunteers, and people who would like to lend a helping hand are welcome. People who may be interested in joining SAR Global 1 are encouraged to visit the following Web site: www.sarglobal1.com.

As SAR Global 1 is 100 percent self-funded, fundraisers like the Winterman Marathon are the “bread and butter” of the organization. “We are planning to hold the marathon again and I hope that this will become our one main fundraising event”, concluded Mr. Conway. To learn more about this marathon, you can visit the following Web site: http://www.somersault. ca/eventwinterman.htm.

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Three Rescued by 413 Squadron

14 Wing Greenwood Public Affairs - Members of 413 (Search and Rescue) Squadron rescued three fishermen from their 42-foot vessel, Dream Seeker One, which was taking on water 44 kilometres from Seal Island, N.S., south of Yarmouth N.S. The vessel ran aground on the evening of Wednesday, January 21.

The Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Halifax was notified and requested that a CH-149 Cormorant helicopter from 14 Wing Greenwood, N.S. be dispatched to the scene to administer assistance.

Once the Cormorant was on scene, search and rescue technicians were lowered from the helicopter to the fishing vessel and the men were quickly hoisted up into the aircraft. They were then transported to the Yarmouth airport; all were in good shape and did not require any medical attention.

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Exercise Silver

An Olympic security exercise, entitled Exercise Silver, was successfully held in the Vancouver and Whistler areas on February 9 to 13, 2009. This is the second of three major security drills that are held prior to the 2010 Winter Olympics. It comes after last year’s Exercise Bronze, while the third drill, Exercise Gold, will be held this fall.

The exercise, which had nation-wide participation, also involved some American agencies. A total of 1,000 participants took part in the exercise, representing 150 agencies. Its themes included terrorism, seismic events and health.

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National Volunteer Week

By Alicia Visconti

National Volunteer Week in Canada was celebrated during the week of April 19 to 25, 2009. This annual event is an opportunity to recognize those who donate time, energy and resources to make a difference in the lives of others.

National Volunteer Week was first proclaimed in 1943 as an initiative to draw the public’s attention to the vital contribution of women to the war effort on the home front. In the late 1960s, the focus was revived and broadened to include all community volunteers.

A volunteer demonstrating his medical skills. Photo Credit: Doug Allen

Volunteers enrich communities and promote positive change. They put passion into action. For those in the National Search and Rescue (SAR) Program, it’s hard to imagine any rescue or prevention delivery without volunteers. In Canada, the program functions with the aid of more than 21,000 volunteers who risk their own lives to save the lives of others. Whether on the ground, in the water, in the air or sitting at a desk, SAR volunteers are ready to commit themselves to new challenges, even when major risks are involved.

We take this opportunity to salute and thank all SAR volunteers for their dedication, commitment, and time spent in lending a helping hand in their communities.

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