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SAR New Initiatives FundInnovation Showcases
Nineteen new projects to be fundedThe NSS will be funding 19 new Search and Rescue New Initiatives Fund (SAR NIF) projects beginning in 2007-2008. The projects reflect ground, air and marine SAR and focus on research management, training, equipment procurement, educational programming and much more. Many projects will help increase safety and knowledge in the SAR world while others will focus on responding to incidents. Projects include:
For the complete project list with summaries, visit the NSS website at www.nss.gc.ca. Nova Scotia Announces SAR NIF FundingOn February 26, 2007, the province of Nova Scotia announced the funding of a program that will assist the province in taking search management into the digital era. The Search Management and Reports Tracking (SMART) program will receive NIF funding for the next three years to link all local ground search and rescue teams in Nova Scotia by satellite and remote laptops. The training and the implementation of this technology will assist in the planning and execution of searches, as well as coordinating training and personnel deployment. Nova Scotia MPP and Emergency Management Minister Carolyn Bolivar-Getson presented a cheque for $348,000 to representatives of the Nova Scotia Ground SAR Association, the Emergency Management Office and the SAR NIF Project Committee. Minister Bolivar-Getson also announced a provincial contribution to the SAR project bringing the total value of funding to $500,000. SAR NIF ShowcaseLearning made easier thanks to new training video
In the short time since its completion, the Ground Search Team Leader Training video has enhanced the effectiveness of British Columbia's Ground Search Team Leader (GSTL) course. The film, funded by SAR NIF, was created to help show team leaders how to plan and organize ground SAR missions and how to effectively manage a team. British Columbia's GSTL course was developed in the early 90s to train experienced SAR volunteers to perform tasks related to leading a team through a ground search and rescue section of the course which is operation. Although the course has proven successful for many, GSTL candidates seem to experience difficulty with the critical planning and organization why Don Blakely chose to highlight these themes in a training video.
Mr. Blakely, the film's producer and SAR NIF project manager, saw the need to expand the range of training tools available to GSTL candidates to facilitate the understanding of key concepts practiced on the field and to ensure that all types of learners had better tools at their disposal. He notes that in addition to the benefit for visual learners, the training video also allows students to study at a time and place that best suits them. Having a training tool added to the GSTL curriculum increases the likelihood that all competent candidates are successful in the course. The film project was presented at SARSCENE 2006 receiving positive feedback from volunteers and SAR managers alike. The video follows the scenario of a search for a lost child that involves a joint response from two neighboring SAR teams. It shows a team leader performing his tasks in a SAR operation from beginning to end. The film's format allows for the characters to explain their actions and more importantly, it shows a ground SAR team completing tasks in a logical and sequential manner. The Justice Institute of British Colombia will be distributing the DVD copy of "Ground Search Team Leader - Planning and Organizing a Team Mission" all across the country through the Search and Rescue Volunteer Association of Canada (SARVAC).The DVD has chaptering capabilities which allow students doing pre-course homework to skip and select the scenes they wish to view. The video is in English and is also available with French subtitles. The DVD will also be available in the United States through the National Association for Search and Rescue (NASAR). That the film is being distributed everywhere in North America illustrates the need for a comprehensible visual learning tool. Currently, the training video is available at no cost on the Justice Institute of British Columbia's website. To download or stream the training video, visit www.jibc.bc.ca. SAR NIF ShowcaseSafe Catch: Ongoing growth in research and partnershipsFishing is the main occupation in Newfoundland and Labrador and is also the most dangerous. Over the past 10 years, fishing-related SAR incidents have nearly doubled and the need for research into factors that influence fish harvesters and vessel safety has emerged. Safe Catch, a multi-disciplinary research project, was created to investigate these factors and to help reduce the number of fish harvesters' injuries, fatalities and SAR related incidents. The project is a part of a larger initiative, SafetyNet, which is the first health research initiative of its kind, investigating occupational health and safety in Atlantic Canadian marine, coastal, and offshore industry. Safe Catch, which received SAR NIF funding from 2003 to 2006, is presently entering a crucial phase: reporting research findings and transferring knowledge into action. Barbara Neis from Memorial University says that the data analysis and other research components of the project are ongoing. Research results are now being disseminated, and are leading to new projects which are creating partnerships among researchers and community members. "Many collaborations have come to light as a result of this project. ", says Ms. Neis. "For example, one individual has been training to get the community involved in safe fishing and is creating a multi-media package to this effect." Research conducted through projects such as Safe Catch, is a crucial first step in understanding why and how SAR incidents occur. The outcome of the project is also the basis for establishing emergency prevention programs in communities all over Newfoundland and Labrador and as Ms. Neis notes, around the world. ''There are still challenges to be faced but the goal is to transfer research findings to other provinces in Canada and to countries around the world that could benefit from the knowledge." SAR NIF ShowcaseIce and coldwater project enhances safety
The need to build capacity in ice and coldwater rescue arose as winter sports such as ice fishing became increasingly popular in Nova-Scotia. In the past, the Kentville Fire Department managed coldwater rescues through ad-hoc solutions such as rope, reaching assists and throw bags. The situation put volunteer firefighters and victims at greater risk, especially when victims were unable to swim. As a result of the training project, the region now has ten technicians trained in ice and cold water rescue. The Kentville Fire Department has also raised awareness for ice and cold water safety in the community. An open house was held before the winter season to display the equipment that was acquired and to give demonstrations to the public. Events like these have permitted the community to come together and learn a bit more about SAR prevention and how to cope in an emergency situation. Call for new proposalsThe NSS is now accepting SAR NIF proposals for initiatives to start April 1st, 2008. SAR NIF can provide funding for up to three years. Initiatives must be supported by either a federal SAR department or agency, or a provincial/territorial SAR authority. Provincial/territorial SAR proposals should reflect the SAR priorities identified by the province or territory and all should be aligned with the National SAR Program priorities. The National SAR Program priorities for 2008-2009 are:
Applicants must identify which primary National SAR Program objective they will be addressing through their project: prevention, response, or research and development. Applicants submitting a research and development proposal must complete a SAR NIF application form and a detailed R&D proposal. All applicants must secure funding from sources other than the NSS for a minimum of 5% of the total project cost. For further information consult the SAR NIF Applicant's Guide (2008/2009) available on the NSS website at www.nss.gc.ca. For questions concerning SAR NIF applications, contact Jae-Sang Park, SAR NIF Manager at 1-800-727-9414 or jsparks@nss.gc.ca. Federal SAR departments or agencies and provincial/territorial SAR authorities should submit SAR NIF Applications by August 10th, 2007 to: France Bergeron More on SAR NIFSAR NIF, with an annual budget of $8.1 million, supports search and rescue projects that enhance air, marine and ground search and rescue activities in Canada. Since 1988, it has funded over 750 projects.
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In 2004, the Kentville Fire Department in Nova Scotia set out to enhance ice and cold water rescue capacity for first emergency responders. The SAR NIF contribution helped the Kentville Fire Department equip and train a coldwater rescue squad to reduce response time and increase the safety of rescuers and victims.