The Canadian Armed Forces recently joined local first responders for some high flying collaboration.
About 70 members of 442 Squadron traveled to the West Coast for the Squadron’s annual search and rescue exercise, dubbed SAREX, from Feb 26 to March 1.
“One of the benefits of conducting SAREX is that it provides us the opportunity to train and build working relationships with our SAR [search and rescue] partners, those professionals and volunteers in communities across BC that are trained and always ready to respond when people find themselves in trouble,” said Exercise Director Captain Adam Kusch.
The 442 Squadron is based at 19 Wing Comox and covers search and rescue responsibilities throughout B.C. and the Yukon as well as roughly 600 kilometres offshore in the Pacific Ocean and conducts search and rescue exercises annually.
“The exercise location changes annually, with preference given to holding the exercise in areas where we frequently conduct actual search and rescue operations,” said a 19 Wing spokesperson.
Two CC-115 Buffalo fixed-wing aircraft, two CH-149 Cormorant helicopters, and a CC-130H Hercules were involved in the event, which simulated a variety of scenarios based on actual events that have happened on the West Coast.
Those scenarios included a joint response involving the Canadian Coast Guard where a vessel in distress is taking on water and requires a pump dropped from a CC-115 Buffalo aircraft, an injured windsurfer stranded on a remote beach and a rescue of passengers and crew from an overturned vessel.
The Squadron was joined in the exercise by members of the RCMP, the Canadian Coast Guard, Parks Canada, BC Parks, Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue, the Civil Air Search and Rescue Association and the Tofino Airport Authority.
“We appreciate the support we received from the Tofino Airport Authority, which enabled us to conduct the exercise, and the warm welcome we received among the local community,” added Air Force Task Commander Major J.F. Dupont.
“We also value the participation in the exercise by a diverse group of dedicated local agencies that are routinely involved in search and rescue operations.”
The local Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue team’s Station Leader Dave Payne said his team “jumped at the chance,” to train alongside the Canadian Armed Forces members.
“It’s always nice working with the best of the best,” he said. “Apart from being extremely friendly, they were also very professional, very proficient and it was really a pleasure to have the opportunity to meet them and to train with them…It was definitely a unique experience.”
Payne said RCMSAR acted as a vessel in distress roughly five miles offshore and gained valuable experience and familiarity through the exercise.
“It’s excellent training,” he said. “When we’ve all worked together before, we know procedures, we know how communications work and it just makes everything go smoother so, in a real life situation, the odds of everything coming out successful are that much higher.”
The local RCMSAR team has about six active members and is actively recruiting volunteers.
Payne said the team responds to about 20 incidents a year, including rescuing two fisherman who had been badly burned in a steam leak last winter and two other mariners who were stranded after their vessel ran out of fuel.
“When you can save lives and when you can save vessels, it’s extremely rewarding,” he said.
Anyone interested in joining RCMSAR or supporting its efforts can contact Payne at 250-720-7231.