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ARTICLES

Celebrating 25 years of evolution in
Canadian Search and Rescue

It is often out of crisis or tragedy
that great advances are made.

Such was the case when the Ocean Ranger oil rig capsized off the coast of Newfoundland in 1982 taking the lives of all 84 persons on board – 56 of them from Newfoundland. The sinking was Canada's worst tragedy at sea since the Second World War.

Following the accident, a Royal Commission was called to look into the events surrounding the rig's sinking and the tragic loss of life that ensued. Could the deaths have been prevented? What could be done to ensure such a tragedy never happens again in Canadian waters?

While the accident and the resulting deaths were attributed to a number of issues – life boats inadequate for the conditions, lack of emergency preparedness training for staff on the rig – the Commission noted that the SAR resources dispatched to assist the Ocean Ranger and her crew were ill equipped to work in the rough weather conditions prevalent at that time of year. In fact, responders sent to the site were not properly prepared nor trained, nor were their vessels equipped to rescue hypothermic victims from the cold ocean waters.

When it was tabled in St. John's in August of 1984, the Commission's final report contained 136 recommendations with perhaps the most significant being the need for a National SAR Program that would encompass the efforts of all levels of government, industry and the volunteer community in both response and prevention.

As a result, in 1986, the National Search and Rescue Program and the National Search and Rescue Secretariat (NSS) were born. United by the common theme of 'working together to save lives', the collective efforts of these partners forms the backbone of the National Search and Rescue Program, and makes Canada a safer place to live, work, and play.

Program Origin

The Secretariat was mandated to provide central managerial capability for the conduct and coordination of the National SAR Program, and to provide independent support and advice to the Lead Minister for Search and Rescue. It coordinates and oversees the National SAR Program across Canada, develops SAR related policies and programs, and facilitates collaboration and exchanges between the federal, provincial/territorial/volunteer and other partners of the National SAR Program.

The National SAR Program is built on two pillars: response and prevention.

A National Response

Conceived as a central focal point for SAR activities and organizations, the National Search and Rescue Program (NSP) has been contributing to tremendous growth and positive change in the Canadian SAR community for 25 years.

Coordination, Collaboration and Promotion

While departments and jurisdictions retain control over their SAR resources, the NSS works collaboratively with partners bringing a systems approach to improving SAR in Canada. As such, it strives to enhance interoperability through supporting common protocols and procedures, standardizing or utilizing compatible equipment and building relationships and sharing best practices. Under the umbrella of the National SAR Program, partners and stakeholders have developed a number of tools and initiatives for SAR response such as a national criteria for ground search and rescue, the Marine Institute's training program for off-shore oil and gas workers, thermal imaging products, personal locator beacon (PLB) protocol, roundtables and MOUs for volunteer use across jurisdictions, and many others.

Since its creation, the NSS has remained committed to enhancing SAR resources across the country so that Canadians have access to an efficient and effective SAR system wherever they may be in this vast country. In close collaboration with federal, provincial/ territorial SAR authorities, military, law enforcement and first responder services and volunteers, private sector and non-governmental organizations, the NSS has taken important steps to assist in improving the quality of SAR services available across the country. Today, the Secretariat continues to seek new partnerships, opportunities and activities to leverage resources and support continuous progress of the National SAR Program.

Bringing together partners of the NSP and organizations involved in SAR, the Secretariat's activities promote collaboration, knowledge transfer and resource sharing, all with the aim of enhancing SAR and reducing the severity of incidents and loss of life nationwide. Supporting the NSP organizations from coast to coast to coast, the NSS publishes SARSCENE – a magazine dedicated to search and rescue, hosts an annual national search and rescue conference called SARscene, produces a variety of SAR prevention information materials, and participates in a number of search and rescue related outreach events.

National Prevention Strategy

In addition to the response pillar of the NSP, there is an emphasis on SAR prevention including investigative, regulatory and legislative, enforcement and education initiatives. Prevention activities span a range from changes to safety management under the Canada Shipping Act or Aeronautics Act, to enforcement action under the Criminal Code regarding impaired operations, to education outreach to specific industries such as fishers or off-shore workers.

A major undertaking has been the development of a coordinated approach to prevention awareness and outreach targeting land, marine and air activities. The focus is on changing behaviour, encouraging better risk management, and enabling people to make effective decisions for the protection for their own and others' lives and physical safety.

With its partners, the Secretariat nationalized the AdventureSmart™ program – a national awareness and prevention program dedicated to encouraging Canadians and visitors to Canada to "get informed and go outdoors". AdventureSmart emphasizes trip planning, training, and carrying the 10 essential items for survival. In addition to its outreach programs components – Snow Safety Education, Survive Outside, Survive Outside Snowmobile and Hug-ATree initiatives that leverage volunteer expertise and experience to deliver targeted outreach – AdventureSmart combines online and on-site awareness to try and reduce the number and severity of search and rescue incidents from coast to coast to coast. AdventureSmart has gained international attention and is being adapted for use in other countries. The NSS is currently working with its partners to develop the marine and air portions of the National Prevention Strategy.

The Search and Rescue New Initiatives Fund (SAR NIF)

To enhance the effectiveness, efficiency, economy and innovation of search and rescue activities related to the response and prevention objectives of the National Search and Rescue Program, the NSS manages the Search and Rescue New Initiatives Fund (SAR NIF). The fund was created in 1988 and provides annual financing for new projects or initiatives that will improve the National Search and Rescue Program. Past initiatives have ranged from outdoor prevention and awareness programs aimed at school-aged children, to cutting-edge research such as developing SAR tools for underwater operations. SAR NIF supports both the response and prevention pillars of the National SAR Program.

Significant Acomplishments

Over a quarter of a century, the NSS and NSP have seen incredible growth and accomplishments. The Secretariat is internationally recognized for its SAR leadership and the creation of an integrated and responsive search and rescue program through leveraging of resources and through strong partnerships. The impact is proven through enhanced resource, knowledge sharing, and response capacity across the Canadian SAR community.

International Leadership

Beyond our borders, the NSS represents Canada and has been a key player in developing the COSPAS-SARSAT International Search and Rescue Satellite Program, which is a key resource that provides worldwide reliable distress alert and location data to help search and rescue authorities assist persons in distress.

Since the program's launch in 1979, Canada – a founding member with France, the United States and Russia – has maintained an important and active leadership role in the development and management of the program that today counts 43 member countries and organizations worldwide. Today the system manages and maintains an international network of 11 low earth orbit and geostationary orbit satellites which contribute to the detection distress alert transmissions from locations around the globe.

Testament to the strength of the leadership of the founding countries, the COSPAS-SARSAT system is credited with approximately five rescues each and every day around the world.

COSPAS-SARSAT international headquarters are located in Montreal, Canada. Our country has a critical role to play in its future and indeed in the future of SAR satellites more generally. Led by the NSS, Canadian delegates to the program are actively involved in contributing to the research and development of new standards for emergency beacon technologies, and identifying protocols and practices for the sharing of information in the case of a SAR event.

The NSS is also contributing to the future of the program. Our country is building on Canadian know-how and technology to contribute to the development of the next generation of MEOSAR (mid-earth orbit) satellites currently underway by COSPAS-SARSAT.

Challenging times, innovative SAR solutions

SAR practitioners are adept and using innovation to solve complex challenges, all the while relying on an integrated approach to accomplish their goals. Current political and economic situations have challenged the NSS to take this approach to improving the National SAR Program.

With 25 years of experience to build on, the NSS is looking forward and exploring new approaches to ensure the viability and effectiveness of Canada's crucial SAR program for many years to come.

The Next 25

Twenty-five years later, Canada's National SAR Program is fulfilling its mandate: encompassing air, ground and marine SAR planning and activities from all levels of government, corporate and volunteer sectors, and a vast array of organizations and programs.

The coming years will see efforts continue towards enhancing SAR integration across the country and across multiple organizations – national, provincial, territorial, volunteer. They will also see the development and implementation of new approaches to supporting SAR event prevention through education and engagement. Finally, within the next 10 years, Canada's involvement in the international SAR satellite network program will result in enhanced SAR satellite capacity – benefitting SAR around the world and here in Canada.

For the Secretariat's Executive Director Geraldine Underdown, the future looks positive. While there is still much work to be done, the goal for the future is to continue to draw upon the commitment, passion and expertise of SAR organizations across the country to develop the most seamless SAR system possible. While some might see this as a challenge, Ms. Underdown and her colleagues at the NSS are confident and committed to making it a reality.

Based on the accomplishments of the past 25 years, the commitments made by the NSS and the support of the National SAR Program stakeholders for the years ahead, the objective is well within reach.

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