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MARINE SAR

Search and rescue exercise simulates ferry collision

by Derek Smith
A multi-jurisdictional marine search and rescue (SAR) exercise was held in the entrance to the Saguenay Fiord at the beginning of May 2004.
The exercise was jointly organized by ferry operators Société des Traversiers du Québec, the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) and a local tour boat operator. CCG Québec Region directed the event.

The scene just moments before the ferry, Jos-Deschênes, and the excursion vessel, Cavalier Grand Fleuve, collide. Photo courtesy of Hubert Desgagnés, Exercise Director.

Along with the CCG and the ferry company, Famille Dufour, Croisières AML operators of St. Lawrence excursion vessels, local Emergency Management Organizations (EMO) , police agencies, Parks Canada and the Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary (CCGA) participated. The shipping companies used their participation in the exercise to practice and verify their own emergency procedures.

The scenario was a simulated collision between a Saguenay River ferry, the Jos-Deschênes and a large excursion vessel, the Cavalier Grand Fleuve.

The event began at 7:30am on May 2, with an exercise Mayday call. Both CCG and CCGA units, including the cutter CCGS ISLE ROUGE, responded to evacuate 'casualties' and to direct on-scene operations to search for and recover survivors. The 'survivors' from the distressed vessels were landed at the Government Quay at Tadoussac and at Baie St. Catherine, where the local EMOs had set up reception points.

Evacuation chutes and life rafts are tested as crew and 'passengers' abandon ship. Photo courtesy of Hubert Desgagnés, Exercise Director.

Casualty handling, survivor recovery and reception, and personnel accounting procedures were all tested by using both live volunteer 'survivors' and simulating large numbers of persons with a series of numbered planks, some of which were dropped into the water to simulate persons who had gone overboard in the accident. The ferry Jos-Deschênes went alongside the Quay at Tadoussac and the vessel's life rafts and evacuation chutes were tested by the ship's crew in a live evacuation.

Overall, the CCG, vessel operators and local authorities were pleased with the results of an interesting exercise. It was a valuable test of emergency plans and good opportunity for groups to exercise their procedures and coordinate their response.

Derek Smith is a Senior Analyst at the National Search and Rescue Secretariat, on exchange from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency in the United Kingdom.

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