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SAR NEWSDoppler radar project complete Located in Kapuskasing, Ont., this last station is one of 31 radar stations in the Canadian Doppler network that help to forecast severe weather events across Canada. "The Doppler Radar network's completion is an important step in the modernization of weather forecasting," said the Honourable Stéphane Dion, Minister of the Environment. "More than 98 per cent of the Canadian population will receive more accurate and timely weather warnings, enabling them to take action to ensure their health, safety and security." For more information about the Doppler radar project, visit www.msc-smc.ec.gc.ca/projects/nrp/index_e.cfm. New Canadian magazine for the SAR community Offering a forum for SAR groups to communicate with each other, CSARM welcomes editorial submissions. With a projected circulation of more than 5,000 copies, CSARM will provide suppliers of goods and services related to SAR with an excellent marketing vehicle, while providing critically important information to SAR personnel. For more information, contact Mr. John Birkby, group publisher, at 905-628-4309 or jbirkby@andrewjohnpublishing.com. New Canadian Coast Guard SAR facilities open in
B.C.
In addition to the new facilities, each has been assigned a new 47-foot multi-task high endurance lifeboat. In 2001, the Canadian government announced CCG would establish a new station to provide search and rescue, and other Coast Guard services, in the community of Bella Bella as part of the SAR Integrity program. CCGC Cape Farewell is located at the Bella Bella facility, while CCGC Cape Mudge is at Sandspit. Between June and the end of September, the Bella Bella station responded to 24 search and rescue incidents, while Sandspit responded to 32 incidents. John Adams, Commissioner of the Canadian Coast Guard, said "the positioning of the station and assignment of the cutter Cape Farewell to the Bella Bella area has greatly improved our search and rescue capability in B.C.'s Central Coast area." Proposed common frequency for SAR radio communications A working group representing the Canadian SAR community developed a proposal to assign a new common radio frequency to allow SAR first responders from different agencies to communicate with each other at the site of an incident. Further, the proposal calls for a common civil air frequency to be assigned to facilitate communication between air and ground search groups. Called SARIAN F, these common frequencies will improve co-ordination among the different agencies. See SARSCENE Magazine, Vol 14 #2 for more information. Weatheradio broadcasts in Inuktitut In addition to the Weatheradio service, people living in the Iqualuit, Cape Dorset, Rankin Inlet, Arviat and Resolute areas can call a toll-free number for weather forecasts if they do not own a Weatheradio receiver. By calling 1-867-979-6448, people can hear their weather forecast in English and then in Inuktitut. There are 167 transmitters located across Canada and receivers can be purchased from electronics retailers. Funded by the New Search and Rescue Initiatives Fund, this project is
described on the Meteorological
Service of Canada's website.
Operated by the Canadian Avalanche Association, the Centre wants to bring Canadian avalanche expertise under one roof, maximize the impact of public funding applied to public safety/prevention work related to snow safety and ensure best practices on response and prevention are shared across the country - not just Western Canada. Organizations that have been instrumental in helping the Centre include the B.C. Provincial Emergency Program, Parks Canada, Meteorological Service of Canada, National Search and Rescue Secretariat and the Canadian Avalanche Foundation. Alzheimer Disease: the SAR effort
This initiative will be highlighted in the next issue of SARSCENE Magazine. For more information on Safely Home™ and technical monitoring, visit the website. SAR Tech of the year Sgt. Andrew McLean was presented the award at National SAREX 2004 in Comox, B.C. for his dedication to duty and for his quick initiative and medical skills to save an injured man's life after a severe parachuting accident. Since 1992, the Para Rescue Association has presented its annual award to a SAR Tech to recognize outstanding service contribution to the SAR community in an outstanding rescue or for continued high performance. Contenders for the Canadian Forces new fixed-wing
SAR aircraft Announced in March, the Canadian Forces have $1.3 billion to spend on a search and rescue replacement for the CC-115 Buffalo. Currently, the CC-130 Hercules aircraft is tasked for search and rescue, but after this purchase, it will be available to return to transport duty. The government has said it wants delivery by late 2005, but those involved in the process of supplying the new aircraft say it will likely be 2006 or 2007 because of a slight delay. The requirements for the aircraft are being defined now and a letter of interest will then go out to Industry Canada. The two contenders include the C-27J Spartan, jointly developed by Alenia Aeronautica and Lockheed Martin, and the C-295, manufactured by CASA/EADS, a joint initiative between Spain and the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company. There are differences between the two, including cargo space, size, take-off and landing weights, equipment and speed. Depending on the costs involved, the Canadian Forces will receive between 12 and 15 of these new aircraft. Secretariat receives safe boating honour Shore-based cold water rescue team members receive
Bronze Cross Certificates
Two members of Newfoundland and Labrador's Harbour Grace Volunteer Fire Brigade's Cold Water Rescue Team have successfully completed a 30-hour Bronze Cross Course offered by the Lifesaving Society of Canada. The course focuses on areas including lifesaving procedures, swimming endurance and rescue techniques in complex situations involving two or more casualties. Team Leader Bill Ryan said, "the Brigade has always had a progressive training schedule that offers its members access to the latest and most advanced training techniques in firefighting, high angle rescue, vehicle extrication and cold water rescue. Since forming the Water Rescue Team in 1997, the brigade has given full support to the training program." Caption: Team members Dave Earle and Bill Ryan of the Harbour Grace Volunteer Fire Brigade Cold Water Rescue Team receive Bronze Cross Certificates. Robert Lynch is a 17-year veteran volunteer firefighter with the Brigade. Canadian Hurricane Centre improves availability
of weather information Currently, information is available through the media and the Centre's website. The public now has the option to receive free information through an e-mail subscription service, mobile device access service or "Really Simple Syndication" - RSS for short. Mobile device access is for those who have internet-enabled cellular phones or a personal digital assistant, or PDA. The RSS is a relatively new internet-based technology that allows a subscriber to receive customized news information from a variety of sources. Peter Bowyer, Program Manager for the CHC, said, "the three new products, in concert with media broadcasts and our website, will help make this essential information more readily accessible to people so they can use it to make better-informed decisions." New safe boating agreement between Canada and the
United States Both organizations are national, non-profit associations. NASBLA is responsible for the development and implementation of state boating programs and CSBC is responsible for the promotion of safe and responsible boating in Canada. This agreement allows for more opportunities to strengthen national and local mutual efforts and to share each organization's resources to further the mission of safe boating. The mutual support for programs will make it easier to identify future boating trends. The memorandum was signed by Barbara Byers, CSBC Chair and Fred Messmann, NASBLA President at the Council's Annual General Meeting, Sept. 25, 2004.
The art of casualty simulation - an update by Gregory Frankson Casualty simulation came to Canada from England in the late 1940s. Its original purpose was to prepare rescue personnel and members of the military to deal with injured disaster and combat victims by presenting them with realistically made up wounds. For rescue workers, casualty simulation enabled them to recognize and assess the wounds they might actually encounter. For the military, it also served as a form of battle inoculation. Today, well-trained casualty simulators can skillfully re-create injuries and illnesses ranging from burns and hemorrhages to shock and smallpox. They also coach casualties on how a person with the illness or injury they are simulating would react to treatment from emergency response personnel. Their participation in exercises greatly enhances the preparedness of Canada's emergency health services to respond if and when the next disaster occurs. In the future, there will courses offered to interested members of the public to become certified casualty simulators in jurisdictions that have an identified need for such personnel. The Centre for Emergency Preparedness and Response in the Public Health Agency of Canada is the national certifying agency for the casualty simulation program. Gregory Frankson is an Emergency Preparedness Trainer, Centre for Emergency Preparedness and Response, Public Health Agency of Canada Facts about Casualty Simulation Certification Courses are held when a need for more Basic Casualty Simulators in a province or territory is identified by the Emergency Health Services Director in the affected jurisdiction. The only prerequisite for participants in the Basic Course is possession of a valid First Aid certificate. Participants in the program are not charged for attending training courses.
The costs associated with the course are assumed by the taxpayer. Any person who becomes a Casualty Simulator agrees to participate on a volunteer basis in exercises in their home province or territory. Once trained at the Basic level, a Casualty Simulator may choose to become an Instructor or an Instructor-Trainer when such courses are offered by the Public Health Agency of Canada. For more information on casualty simulation e-mail Gregory Frankson at gregory_frankson@phac-aspc.gc.ca Lifesaving Society's snowmobiling safety video The 24-minute video highlights the dangers of snowmobile travel on ice surfaces and offers advice on how to stay safe while traveling on ice-covered bodies of water. Produced under the Sled Smart program, the video covers the following topics:
Funded in part by the New Search and Rescue Initiatives Fund, the video is available from the Lifesaving Society for $49.95. For more information, visit http://lifesaving.nfld.net or e-mail lifeguard@seascape.com. |
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The
new facilities, one at Bella Bella and the other at Sandspit, have been
operational since June, but were opened with an official ceremony this
past September. Bella Bella is located north west of Vancouver, while
Sandspit is on the east coast of the Queen Charlotte Islands.
In
September 2004, the 
