Compass
The Magazine of Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue
July 2016
Lower Mainland SAREx 2016
See page 13
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CEO’S PERSPECTIVE
Moving Forward as a Team
An update from RCM-SAR Chief Executive Officer Pat Quealey
Team,
Since our last Compass, I have had
the opportunity to get out and meet
many of you either at the recent Lower
Mainland SAREx or during my visits
to stations. It has been great to get to
know you and the unique aspects of
your station operations. I hope to visit
all stations in due course and to learn
from your insights.
I recently had the opportunity to
represent you in Ottawa at a Senate
committee examining search and rescue
in Canada. I joined our Canadian Coast
Guard Auxiliary President and RCMSAR North Vancouver Station Leader
Randy Strandt in providing testimony
about volunteer marine SAR. Click
here to view our joint testimony.
It was very humbling to talk about
all the tremendous work of our volunteers and to underscore the potential of
RCM-SAR for the future. With that in
mind, I hope that you have all received
an invitation to participate in our
Strategic Planning Member Survey that
will help guide our course for the future.
The survey will close July 15, 2016. We
will analyze the results and report back
to you in a future Compass edition and
at the annual general meeting.
This year our AGM is scheduled
for October in the Lower Mainland
(exact location to be determined). Rob
Duffus, our director of administration,
is leading the preparations to make this
year’s AGM a great experience for our
members. We’re looking for volunteers
to help plan the details. In addition to our regular meeting, this year’s AGM will be a celebration of our members’
accomplishments and a renewed strategic vision. If you are
interested in joining the planning team please contact Rob at
info@rcmsar.com.
We recently established the new RCM-SAR Safety and
Training Board. This important body is comprised of both
headquarters and station representatives. It will be our
authoritative clearing house for sharing best practices, promoting standardization and resolving training and safety
issues across the organization. Its first tasks are to develop its
Compass 2 July 2016
We look forward
to seeing many of
you cycle through
training courses in
the future.
CEO’S PERSPECTIVE
Pat Quealey (right) visiting Station 5 Crescent Beach
governance model and address the standardization of authorized personal protective equipment use and training.
Speaking of training, I just finished giving opening remarks
at the first ever SARNav1 course to be taught in our new
training centre. As promised, training is now underway and
we look forward to seeing many of you cycle through courses
in the future. Kudos to all the folks, including my predecessor,
Stan Warlow, who helped see the development of the centre
from vision through to completion. Special thanks also go
out to all of our contractor partners and most recently to our
board of governors member Gordie Robinson and his wife
Janice who volunteered their time to get the new training
building and surrounding property spick and span and ready
for operations.
As we look to fostering new partnerships, we have recently
reached out to a number of other agencies to explore how we
can work together. This includes the RCMP, who in BC are
largely responsible as the police of jurisdiction for ground
search and rescue operations. Through close cooperation with
key leadership at RCMP E Division Headquarters we are
investigating how we can best coordinate mutual support
during operations and training. I encourage station leadership
to develop local relationships with your ground search and
rescue counterparts.
Equally, we are looking at how we can better cooperate and
benefit from training with other like-minded public safety
agencies. I look forward to reporting back to you as this takes
shape.
Finally, with communications being critical to our success, we are forging ahead with establishing a more proactive
Compass 3 July 2016
communications stance with both
internal and external audiences. This is
taking form through things like allstation leadership calls for improved
internal communications and a more
robust media engagement approach to
highlight all of the great work of our
team for the public. Clearly the Compass
is a great method to sustain our communications. I hope you enjoy this issue
and look forward to your continuing
feedback.
Thank you for your leadership on the
water and in your communities!
Pat Quealey
RESCUE ROUNDUPS
Photo: Penny Gotto
RESCUE
Station 61 Pender Harbour—June 8
A Station 61 Pender Harbour crew took part in a 10-hour
multi-agency search after a 16-year-old boy fell into the
waters of Princess Louisa Inlet.
At 1:25 p.m. on June 8, JRCC tasked RCM-SAR Station
61 Pender Harbour to assist in the search for a teenaged boy
attending a remote BC youth camp who was reported to
have fallen in the water near Malibu Rapids. Coxswain Terry
Pollock and crew members David Davies, Penny Gotto and
Eliza Kinley departed base at 1:45 p.m. in the station’s dedicated response vessel Iona C.
The crew began the long journey to the remote camp,
located about 150 kilometres north of Vancouver in the
Princess Louisa Inlet and accessible only by boat or plane.
Arriving on scene at 3:15 p.m., the Iona C crew joined
Compass 4 July 2016
RESCUE
resources from Coast Guard, Canadian Forces, RCMP and
vessels of opportunity in the search for the missing boy.
The crew began with a shoreline search northwest of the
rapids and then the east shore heading south. At 3:57 p.m.
the Coast Guard vessel Cape Caution arrived and assumed
the role of on-scene commander, tasking the Iona C crew to
conduct a creeping line search just south of the rapids.
The search was particularly
challenging because of the
isolated location.
By 8:43 p.m. the crew had completed this search and were
tasked to conduct a shoreline search on the east shore toward
the rapids. The search continued until 9:17 p.m., when the
Iona C and other vessels were stood down because daylight
had ended. The crew transited back to base, arriving at 11:19
p.m.
Search efforts continued the next day with no success.
Sadly, the teen’s body was recovered by the RCMP underwater recovery team on June 10. Sunshine Coast RCMP
spokesman Const. Harrison Mohr commented on the very
sad outcome of the search, describing it as complex and
particularly challenging because of the isolated location and
changing conditions.
A heartfelt thank you goes out to the Pender Harbour crew
and all of the other volunteers for their hard work and effort
during this difficult mission.
Station 27 Nanaimo—May 25 & June 8
RCM-SAR Nanaimo crews took part in two dramatic rescues recently, both involving hypothermic victims.
The first incident began just after 8:00 p.m. on May 25 after
bystanders reported seeing a kayaker in the water off Gabriola Island. JRCC tasked Station 27 Nanaimo at 8:06 p.m.
and Coxswain Greg Norby and crew members Brandon Butt,
Steve Cameron, Todd Drew and Ashley Rowe departed base
at 8:25 p.m. aboard the station’s dedicated response vessel G.B.
Meynell.
While several vessels responded to the call for assistance,
including several tugboats and a BC Ferries rescue boat, the
RCM-SAR crew were the first on scene, arriving at 8:34 p.m.
The kayaker, who was near Malaspina Point on the north end
of Gabriola Island, was clinging to his vessel and in obvious
distress. The Nanaimo crew pulled the man into their vessel,
Compass 5 July 2016
RESCUE
quickly determining that he was fairly hypothermic and had
been in the water for approximately 20 minutes.
At 8:40 p.m., the crew began their transit back to Nanaimo,
requesting that Emergency Health Services meet them at
the visitor pier in Nanaimo Harbour. The crew arrived at the
pier four minutes later and transferred the kayaker to waiting
paramedics. Once the kayaker had been successfully transferred, the crew stood down and were back at base at 9:17
p.m.
The kayaker was taken to hospital for observation but was
expected to make a full recovery.
The second incident involving the Nanaimo station began
in the early hours of June 8 after a log boom struck and
nearly capsized a pleasure vessel. At 5:02 a.m., JRCC tasked
Station 27 to assist a disabled 22-foot pleasure craft anchored
east of Newcastle Island. JRCC also informed the crew that
the call had come in via VHF radio but that they had lost all
contact with the vessel.
At 5:22 a.m., Coxswain Bob McCauley and crew members
Mike Banning, Gerald Berry, Steven Cameron and Ashley
Rowe departed base in the station’s other dedicated response
vessel J.C. McGregor. The crew located the disabled vessel at
5:34 a.m.
The two passengers on board were obviously very cold and
wet and appeared to be mildly hypothermic and in shock.
The vessel’s master informed the crew that they had been
returning to Nanaimo from Gabriola Island when their main
engine died and then their kicker engine ran out of fuel. They
dropped anchor and called for help but shortly afterwards
a log boom being towed by a tug struck their vessel. Their
anchor rode parted and their vessel received some damage but
luckily they were not seriously injured.
Both men were taken aboard the J.C. McGregor and
warmed up with blankets. The crew provided JRCC with a
situation report and were approved to tow the disabled vessel
back to Nanaimo. The crew initiated the tow and delivered
both men and the vessel to Stones Marina at 6:08 a.m. By
6:11 a.m. the crew was back at their base and contacted
JRCC to provide a detailed report on the log boom collision.
Fortunately, both men emerged from this incident relatively
unscathed. The seriousness of the collision was not lost on
Coxswain McCauley, who noted that the men were lucky to
have survived.
Compass 6 July 2016
RESCUE
Station 38 Ucluelet—June 5
A lone male in a small dinghy in the middle of the night
has an RCM-SAR Ucluelet crew to thank for rescuing him
and likely saving his life.
At 3:00 a.m. on June 5, a concerned citizen called 911 after
hearing calls for help near the Ucluelet Harbour entrance. At
3:25 a.m. JRCC tasked RCM-SAR Station 38 Ucluelet to
respond. At 3:35 a.m., Coxswain Jacque van Wyngaardt and
crew members Rob Adams and Yuri Zharikov departed base
in the station’s dedicated response vessel Ucluelet Responder.
The crew arrived on scene 10 minutes later and could hear
the man yelling for help closer to nearby Spring Cove. They
commenced a spotlight search of the area and minutes later
found the man drifting in a 10-foot inflatable soft-bottomed
dinghy. The dinghy had one partially deflated pontoon and
the man inside was shivering and wet from the waist down.
His dinghy had about two inches of water inside and he was
dressed in shorts and a t-shirt.
The Ucluelet Responder crew quickly took the man on board
their vessel and treated him for hypothermia. The man told
the crew he had been adrift for about three hours and had
lost cell phone power and could not call for help. The crew
noted that his dinghy was ill-equipped, with no means of
propulsion, lights, safety equipment or PFDs.
The man responded well to the crew’s medical efforts and
declined emergency medical services, requesting instead
to be transported to the Ucluelet Public Dock. The Ucluelet Responder arrived at the dock at 3:55 a.m. and the crew
handed the man and his dinghy over to concerned family
members and friends who were awaiting his return. The crew
provided a situation report to JRCC and were stood down at
4:10 a.m., returning to base at 4:15 a.m.
Station 65 Lax Kw’alaams—April 19
An RCM-SAR Station 65 Lax Kw’alaams crew came
to the aid of a man in medical distress after tide conditions grounded a British Columbia Air Ambulance Service
helicopter.
The call for help first came in at 9:30 a.m. on April 19
via VHF radio, after a 23-year-old male on Dundas Island
complained of difficulty breathing and swallowing. Station 65
members contacted JRCC to offer their assistance and were
Compass 7 July 2016
RESCUE
advised that the medevac helicopter was already en route to
Boat Harbour on Dundas Island to assist the man.
At 10:35 a.m., JRCC tasked Station 65 to assist the helicopter staff with the medevac if necessary. Coxswain James
Henry and crew members Desmond Ryan and Gary Sankey
departed base at 10:54 a.m. in the station’s dedicated response
vessel Lax Kw’alaams.
While transiting to the scene, the crew received word
from JRCC that the helicopter could not land on the beach
because the tide was too high, so they were tasked to transport the patient to nearby Haa-Nee-Naa Fishing Lodge,
where the helicopter would now attempt to land.
The crew arrived on scene at 11:32 a.m. and immediately
assessed the patient. He complained of a sore throat and
increasing difficulty in breathing so the Lax Kw’alaams crew
administered oxygen, which improved the patient’s condition
very quickly.
The crew determined that he was stable enough to travel, so
they began transiting toward the fishing lodge to meet the
helicopter. While en route, JRCC contacted the crew and
informed them that the helicopter was also not able to land at
the fishing lodge because of high tides. They were advised to
take the patient to Prince Rupert, which the crew estimated
would take one hour to reach.
Fortunately, the patient was still responding well to the
oxygen and was not in distress, so the crew began their transit
to Prince Rupert, where they would be met by Emergency
Health Services. At 12:45 p.m., the Lax Kw’alaams arrived at
the Prince Rupert Lightering Dock and quickly transferred
the patient to waiting paramedics. Once the patient had been
transferred the crew began their trip back to base, arriving
home at 1:50 p.m.
Although this mission was complicated by some unexpected
challenges, the patient still received timely and effective care
thanks to the professionalism and flexibility of the Station 65
crew.
May 24: RCM-SAR Station 74 Gitxaala responded to a Mayday after a float plane overturned while landing.
A Station 74 crew and local skiffs rescued the six passengers and one crew and brought them to the Gitxaala nursing station. They were then taken to Prince Rupert for further medical treatment.
Bravo Zulu to our RCM-SAR station and the community of Gitxaala in responding quickly to this incident.
Compass 8 July 2016
Crew Member of the Month: Barb Bluschke
RCM-SAR Station 10 Richmond’s Barb Bluschke is July’s Crew Member of the Month.
Training and Achievements:
• training officer, coxswain, pleasure craft safety checker
• Master Limited-60 ton, incident command system training
• completed courses in swiftwater awareness, marine emergency duties A2 &
A3, rigid hull inflatable operator training and SARNav
From Station 10 Leader Aaron Harnden:
Station 10’s Training Officer Barb Bluschke has brought so much to our station,
including her community spirit, leadership and thoughtful insights.
Having served as a master of the Vancouver Police Department Marine Unit
vessel R.G. McBeath, Barb brings much practical experience along with her knowledge of being on the water. There is rarely anyone I’ve met able to helm or teach
helming at Barb’s skill level.
After running through our station’s new crew training program, Barb stepped
forward to revamp and take ownership of the program. Not only does our program
now include the SAR Crew Manual content we have all become familiar with,
but each lesson has a plan, with defined study and activity times included in each
session.
Barb has also been involved in many taskings, including Mayday calls, and was part of the Station 10 crew honoured for a top three call at last
year’s AGM. Her forward thinking, strategic and often blunt mind set has also resulted in many members requesting Barb to “tell us what you really
think” after any situation due to the honest level of communication that really helps to keep crews safe.
I know Barb is really working to try and formalize a post-training/tasking debrief model for our station to ensure crews get the most out of
everything we do. This is also why Barb is our training officer and we can’t thank her enough for what she’s been able to bring to our station and the
broader organization at large. Thank you Barb!
Compass 9 July 2016
PRACTICAL SKILLS
The Life Aquatic
From SAR missions to dragon boating,
Station 39 Port Alberni’s Maggi Slassor lives
much of her life on the water
Compass 10 July 2016
MEMBER PROFILE
Maggi with dragon boat
teammate Marilyn Oldfield
When and why did you join RCM-SAR?
Photo: Alberni Valley News
I joined RCM-SAR in 1987 as it seemed a natural progression and
a good fit from being a Sail Canada sailing instructor and Canadian
Power and Sail Squadron instructor and member for several years prior.
I was first in the now-disbanded Nanoose Bay station with owner/
operator boats and we were able to do some of our on-water training
sessions with the Coast Guard hovercraft based at Parksville. I was
working in Port Alberni and moved there in 1992 but transferred to the
RCM-SAR station there in 1990 and became involved with establishing the Port Alberni Marine Rescue Society.
What roles have you held within the organization? Which
one was your favourite and why?
My roles in the organization have been president, secretary and
director of the station’s supporting society. In the station I am a
RHIOT-trained coxswain and a courtesy vessel examiner. I have also
been a Transport Canada radio operator instructor and a courtesy vessel
examiner instructor. I have enjoyed all these roles but I particularly like
working in prevention and safety and have a particular interest in first
aid as professionally I worked in the medical field as a physiotherapist.
What are some of your non-SAR interests and hobbies?
I enjoy all water sports—specifically kayaking, canoeing and of course,
dragon boating which I became involved in 10 years ago. I also play
table tennis and have been involved in the BC Senior Games Society
executive for many years as area representative for Port Alberni and the
west coast.
In April your dragon boat team took home gold at
the world dragon boater championships in Australia.
Congratulations! Can you give us some background on
your dragon boating experiences?
I paddle with the Vancouver Island Gorging Dragons dragon boat
team, based in Victoria. My team qualified at the Nationals in Welland,
Ontario last year and competed in the Club Crew Worlds in Adelaide,
Australia in April 2016. Our club won a total of nine medals and my
team, senior women’s, won a gold in the 2k and bronze in the 500m.
Compass 11 July 2016
MEMBER PROFILE
Training involved many months both in the gym and on the water in
the dragon boat and on outrigger canoes. It is such a privilege to be part
of such a great team of inspiring athletes and to have the opportunity
to be coached by some of the best coaches in Canada. Standing on the
podium in South Australia was an indescribable experience that made
all those tough training months worthwhile!
Do you have a SAR mission that stands out for you?
The SAR mission that was one of my most memorable was in August
2012 when the Alberni Responder was tasked to assist in a search for an
elderly man missing in the Alberni Inlet. His boat was found drifting
earlier that day but not reported until a passing vessel found it hours
later and secured it to a beach. The RCMP found a moorage paper from
China Creek Marina in the vessel and subsequently determined that the
boat had left for a day’s fishing some 30 hours prior.
To new members I would say
embrace every opportunity to
learn new skills and put them
into practice.
We were tasked and worked in conjunction with the Bamfield Coast
Guard vessel Cape McKay and the Canadian Forces Cormorant helicopter. It was getting toward dusk and we were conducting a shoreline
search when we spotted an orange object on a very narrow rocky beach.
As we got in closer we
could see it was a person
on a log in an orange
cruiser suit. We were able
to get right up to the rocks
and have two crew members assess him. He was
an elderly man in his early
80s and was very confused.
He was transported to
hospital by ambulance
where we learned later
that he remained confused
for days. We were unable
to determine why or how
he became separated from
his boat as he was dry but
had tied himself to a log on the rocks. It was very fortunate that he had
kept his orange suit on as he would never have been spotted in such a
rocky cleft with dense bush behind him.
Do you have any final words of wisdom for newer RCMSAR members?
To new members I would say embrace every opportunity to learn new
skills and put them into practice. It’s a privilege to be part of a dedicated
team and a great organization that puts the needs of others before their
own to keep people safe on the water. To be a part of saving a life is the
best reward.
Compass 12 July 2016
PRACTICAL SKILLS
Lower Mainland Hosts Another Successful SAREx
Over 150 RCM-SAR members from throughout the region descended on Gibsons’ Camp
Elphinstone the weekend of May 13–15 to attend the annual Lower Mainland SAREx.
Compass 13 July 2016
SAREx
The SAREx weekend’s events incorporated
classroom sessions along with live action
search and rescue scenarios. It included a crew
from the Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary in
Pickering, Ontario, as well as SAR partners
from Coast Guard, who brought one of their
hovercrafts and the Royal Canadian Air Force,
who brought and displayed one of their Cormorant helicopters.
The weekend’s activities began on the evening of Friday, May 13. Participants registered,
enjoyed a group dinner and many headed off
to bed early to rest up for the next day’s events.
Training began bright and early the next
day, with breakfast at 6:30 and training at
8:00. Participants were broken into two groups.
One group attended an indoor training session while the other headed out for on-water
sessions. The indoor training group met all
together and then split up into smaller groups
based on their station-level roles (i.e., society
members, trainers, crew) attending workshops
tailored to their interests. The on-water group
took part in mock SAR missions involving treating a person with hypothermia and
towing a stranded boat back to shore.
The on-water scenarios, developed in part
by RCM-SAR Chief Instructor Francois
Michaud, required crew members from different stations to work together. “We’re trying
Compass 14 July 2016
SAREx
to mix and match the people from different
stations, which reinforces the need for standard operating procedures,” Michaud said. “So
if we all train the same way, it doesn’t matter
who we’re doing the scenario with. We can
communicate the standard operating procedures—whether it be towing or dewatering or
damage control. It’s all done pretty much the
same way, with the same fundamentals.”
After lunch, the two groups switched, ensuring everyone had time on the water and in
the classroom. The day’s training wrapped
up just before 6:00 with dinner beginning at
7:00. Following presentations by RCM-SAR
President Greg Miller and CEO Pat Quealey,
everyone once again headed off to bed to prepare for the next day’s training.
Sunday’s training included more on-water
training and more classroom sessions, including a presentation on critical incident stress
management (see page 18 for more details)
and sessions with representatives from JRCC,
MCTS and Coast Guard. The weekend’s
events wrapped up at 3:30 with crews heading
for home tired but happy to have attended.
Ian Grantham, coxswain at Station 1 West
Vancouver and member of the SAREx organizing committee, said that bringing everyone
together like this does a lot for morale within
SAR stations.
“There are not a lot of opportunities where we can get this many boats and this many crews
together,” Grantham said. “Bringing people from all up and down the coast to one place, to learn
the same things, is excellent. It does really good work for us.”
Congratulations to everyone involved in planning and running this amazing weekend. Your
extraordinary efforts created an outstanding training event for everyone involved.
Compass 15 July 2016
SAREx
First Aid Training a Highlight at Lower Mainland SAREx
By Mark Wenn, Member, Regional First Aid Committee
RCM-SAR’s Regional First Aid
Committee helped develop
and run a highly effective first
responder exercise during
Lower Mainland SAREx 2016.
This year’s SAREx at Horseshoe Bay gave us
a great opportunity to watch so many eager
members practice their first responder skills.
The Regional First Aid Committee developed
a great module for the event that consisted
of two parts. Groups of 10 were split in half
with one half responding to a scenario and
the other running through a clinic on cold
water shock followed by first aid treatment for
hypothermia.
We had the pleasure of working with one of
our partners from North Shore Rescue, Scott
Campbell, who came to us with a different
perspective, which was a huge asset to our day.
Vanessa Abbott from Station 1 West Vancouver was on hand to play a very convincing
patient and also worked as a facilitator. We
also had appearances by Dave McGeachy and
Nicole Wenn (Station 12 Halfmoon Bay)
helping us out as patients throughout the day.
The scenario involved an older male who fell
from his bosun’s chair onto a dock. Following
his ordeal his wife became increasingly agitated and difficult to deal with. The responders
Compass 16 July 2016
were able to prioritize and split the team in
order to give the best care possible to each
patient. Once it was established that the male
was in rapid transport category the participants began to quickly work together to get
him packaged and to a higher level of care.
SAREx
The wife was found to be hypoglycemic (she
had a medic alert bracelet) and was treated
accordingly.
Meanwhile at the cold water shock module
crews watched a short video created by Dr.
Gordon Geisbrecht (https://www.youtube.
com/watch?v=_ZtAM5ZTn4k). Following
the show we discussed recovery techniques,
recovery equipment and re-boarding our own
vessels. We concluded that self-recovery is a
crucial skill every crew member should practice often.
I was humbled by
the calibre of first
responder in our
organization.
Next was hypothermia treatment, where
groups practiced the “burrito” technique. This
involves three simple and cheap items that
when used together provide an excellent
warming method. First we laid down a chunk
of clear 6-mil poly followed by a wool first aid
blanket. The final piece was a reflective “space”
blanket which was kept next to the patient.
After we finished rolling up our patient she
was gently placed onto a clam shell and lifted
onto the table for ongoing care.
This two-day event was an excellent opportunity to make new friends, share experiences,
discuss techniques and listen to the members’ ideas. We witnessed a wide variety of
strengths in everyone who participated and
were continuously impressed by the teamwork
all members demonstrated, even though they
were often from different stations.
These exercises also gave us the opportunity
to receive feedback from many stations and
members. All feedback has been gathered and
provided to the region to assist in developing
training, transparency and standardization in
the future.
I was humbled by the calibre of first
responder in our organization and pleased to
pass around some of the tips brought to me by
the groups. Looking to the future, all the participants would like to see more of this type of
training within our organization.
Thank you all for your enthusiasm, dedication, professionalism and camaraderie. We
look forward to seeing the event get better and
better every year!
Compass 17 July 2016
Rescuing the Rescuers: Managing
Critical Incident Stress
By Rebecca Hathaway (Station 1 West Vancouver) and Mark Wenn (Station 12 Halfmoon Bay)
RCM-SAR crew members Rebecca Hathaway and Mark Wenn spoke on critical incident stress management at
the Lower Mainland SAREx. Their presentation, based on both personal and professional experience, was both
heartfelt and informative and a highlight of the training event.
The following article is based on that presentation and outlines what critical incident stress is and how it can be
effectively managed.
Before we delve into critical incident stress
and the management of it, we must first
understand its components.
Stress
Stress is a normal evolutionary response
and prepares the organism to deal with the
environment. It can be caused by both good
and bad experiences. Stress is your body’s way
of responding to any kind of demand. It’s the
primal response that enables us to fight or
take flight. When we are faced with stress our
bodies react by releasing chemicals into the
blood. These chemicals cause physiological
reactions that give people more energy and
strength. This can be a good thing if the stress
is caused by physical danger. But this can also
be a bad thing if the stress is in response to
something emotional and there is no outlet for
this extra energy and strength. This uncontrollable chemical overload can leave our bodies
unbalanced.
Critical Incident
A critical incident is any event outside the
usual realm of human experience. It is one that
is markedly distressing and exceeds normal
coping mechanisms. The individual defines
what their critical incident or event is. An
incident that you may be able to easily cope
with may noticeably affect another. For example, an incident that may evoke a personal
trigger in one member of the crew may not
affect the others at all.
Compass 18 July 2016
Critical Incident Stress
Critical incident stress is a normal reaction
by a normal person to an abnormal situation. It can be any incident that causes you
CISM
to experience unusually strong emotional or
physical reactions which have the potential to
interfere with your ability to function. Stress
can be triggered either during the incident by
something that is witnessed, or be triggered
post incident by a non-traumatic sight or
sound which takes the individual back to the
incident. Critical incident stress reactions may
occur during the event or hours, days or even
months after a critical incident. The reactions
usually last a few days or weeks, but can last
for months or longer.
Emergency responders are more susceptible
to critical incident stress, as we put ourselves
in abnormal situations more than the average person. When everyone else is taking the
flight option we are usually the ones preparing to fight. It has been reported that 90% of
emergency responders will be affected by a
critical incident at least once in their lifetime
(Conroy 1990).
When we think of a critical incident we
often think of the obvious—the multi-casualty
incident, incidents with gruesome injuries
or deaths, incidents with children involved
or incidents involving the death or injury of
a fellow rescuer. However, critical incidents
can be self-defined and are not always the
ones that end in tragedy. Quite often the ones
where the rescuer has some kind of personal
attachment to an incident or a feeling of
personal responsibility can be the silent enemy.
This is when it becomes important to recognize the signs of critical incident stress in
yourself and others.
Stress reactions to these events can manifest
in a broad range of responses that can hamper
an individual’s ability to function during or
following an incident.
Stress can manifest in many different ways:
Compass 19 July 2016
•
•
•
•
Physical: how stress affects the body (e.g.,
nausea, heart palpitations, tremors, dry
mouth, visual problems)
Cognitive: how stress affects the mind
(e.g., confusion, inability to concentrate,
flashbacks, nightmares)
Emotional: how stress affects our
emotions (e.g., anxiety, fear, guilt, hopelessness, anger)
Behavioural: how stress affects our
behaviours (e.g., excessive silence or
CISM
•
humor, unusual behaviours, change in
interactions)
Spiritual: how stress affects our beliefs
(e.g., anger at god or clergy, change in
beliefs, loss of meaning or purpose)
This list is not exhaustive and any change in
what is normal may be an indicator of a stress
reaction. What is important to remember is
that any physical symptoms may indicate the
need for medical evaluation and should not
be ignored. Physical symptoms of stress are
very real. Any of the symptoms may last from
weeks to months.
No one is immune from the stress of
responding to a critical incident. Reactions are
involuntary and you may experience symptoms of stress without even knowing it. If left
untreated critical incident stress can continue
to generate adverse effects.
Critical Incident Stress
Management
Critical incident stress management (CISM)
is first aid for the emotional distress caused by
a traumatic experience. It is designed to assist
responders in recovering from the stress of a
critical incident, to minimize the emotional
and physical impact of an event and to restore
and maintain function as quickly as possible.
It increases the rate of normal recovery, in
normal people, who are having normal reactions to abnormal events. CISM cannot take
the place of counselling or psychotherapy. It
is not a sign of weakness but something that
should be embraced by everyone. The ultimate goal is to maintain responder health and
welfare.
Compass 20 July 2016
Some members of the
crew may not request
support when in fact
they need it.
After an Incident
After a traumatic incident when the crew
has returned to base the coxswain should have
a candid discussion with the crew on how the
incident affected everyone and whether or not
the CISM Peer Team should be contacted. It
is important to recognize that some members
of the crew may not request support when in
fact they need it. Even if just one person needs
the support, the entire crew should agree to
attend any kind of intervention. The crew are
true peers for this individual and can provide
benefit to the individual and the team as a
whole. CIS can develop over time and build
for the individual, so effectively managing CIS
for each incident is also a preventative measure.
JRCC will initiate a response from the
Department of Fisheries and Oceans CISM
Peer Team who will arrange a defusing. A
defusing ideally happens directly after an event
but should happen within 12 to 24 hours and
CISM
usually lasts from 30 to 60 minutes. A defusing seeks to reduce the intense reactions to
a trauma and to ‘normalize’ the effects of the
event. Its goal is to assist in returning responders to their routine as quickly as possible. For
some incidents a debriefing will take place
after the defusing. This is a structured group
meeting to assist in the psychological closure
of an event. They are usually held between 24
and 72 hours post event and generally last
for two to three hours. This is something that
the CISM Peer Team will arrange or may
be prompted by members of your station. A
debriefing is highly confidential process where
the crew can discuss the facts, their thoughts,
reactions and symptoms in relation to the
incident. The defusing and debriefing are not
an evaluation of an incident response but a
chance for the responders to deal with how
the event affected them. No names, notes or
recordings are made and no peer mentor or
mental health professional can be called to
give evidence in court.
CIS can affect us all; no one is immune
to trauma. It may sometimes be difficult to
transition from a particularly traumatic call
back to our home life; this is one reason that
a debriefing or a transition phase is crucial for
first responders. Most of the time a peer-based
response will suffice for the majority of calls
we encounter at RCM-SAR but more serious
events may require the addition of a health
care professional.
CIS can affect us all;
no one is immune to
trauma.
After an event it is good practice to drink
lots of water, eat healthy foods, stay away from
stimulants or depressants, talk about it within
your group and generally do things that are
normal. This is a great time to regroup, reenergize and plan how you will talk with your
family and loved ones. One thing to watch
for is what is known as vicarious trauma—
this is when details of the event are shared
with someone who was not directly involved.
Compass 21 July 2016
CISM
Sometimes this can unintentionally trigger
CIS in friends or family. It is important to let
our families know that we had an abnormal
day but refrain from recounting the specific
details.
As first responders we can become very good
at suppressing emotions. This is an important
tool for us during the actual event; it allows us
to suppress the fight/flight response temporarily and perform our task. Our brains become
practiced at filtering information and emotion
that are not needed during crisis; this enables
us to do our jobs well and let training take
over. The items our brains put aside during a
call need to be re-consolidated or re-sorted so
that we have a chance to “file” them correctly.
This is where a debriefing becomes crucial. It
creates a safe environment for the team to talk
and decompress, a time to observe each other
and watch for signs or symptoms of more serious distress.
So when should we request CISM interventions? Anytime you have responded to
a stressful incident or notice problems with
your crew after a stressful event or cumulative
events, and anytime you notice an individual
that is having problems dealing with an event.
CISM services are available for search and
rescue members and support for their families. It will likely be offered on completion
of a critical incident by JRCC. However, the
station may initiate the request for CISM, if
it is deemed necessary. If there is any doubt
whether CISM is needed or not, you are urged
to take advantage of the services. There is no
cost to the station or members but any costs
will be covered by the DFO.
In Summary
Keep a lookout for your fellow crew members. After a critical incident they may not
know or want to admit that they are suffering.
Compass 22 July 2016
Remember when observing others that 55
percent of feelings can be seen in body language, 38 percent in tone of voice and only 7
percent in the words spoken.
Someone that says “I’m okay” maybe isn’t.
Reference
Conroy, R. (1990). Critical incident stress
debriefing. FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin,
15(2), 20-22.
Saving Lives in Distress at Sea
PRACTICAL SKILLS
A Visit with the German Sea Emergency Rescuers
By Marleen Kiral, RCM-SAR Station 37 Sooke
Compass 23 July 2016
INTERNATIONAL
RCM-SAR Station 37 Sooke
crew member Marleen Kiral
recently visited the German
Maritime Search and Rescue
Association, seeing first-hand
the similarities and differences
between the two groups.
This summer, I spent two months in Germany
visiting family and friends and doing some
typically German things.
The thing I was looking forward to the most
was a visit with the German Maritime Search
and Rescue Association, DGzRS (Deutsche
Gesellschaft zur Rettung Schiffbruechiger).
Yes, it is a mouthful, even for Germans—
which is why five years ago they underwent an
extensive rebranding process not unlike our
own. They’re now known as the Seenotretter—
the “sea emergency rescuers,” which is much
easier to remember!
Day 1: Visiting Head Office
(Bremen)
I arrived in Bremen on a Friday afternoon
and found the organization’s head office. This
is where the Seenotretter do their administration, marketing and so forth, as well as some
training (they, too, have a simulator in the
basement!). Unlike us, they also have a small
theatre, the MRCC (similar to our JRCC) and
a shipyard where they overhaul each and every
one of their boats every three years.
Their head office building is nice and
modern, right in the middle of Bremen, overlooking the Weser River which flows into the
North Sea. A volunteer, Herr Meyer, gave me
a tour of the premises. After exchanging some
key dates and figures, I was shown a short film
in their basement theatre. Then we had time
for a Q&A.
Among other things, I learned that while
Germany doesn’t have direct access to the
Compass 24 July 2016
Mediterranean Sea, the Seenotretter sent
several crews of volunteers to help with the
recent influx of refugees fleeing Syria via the
sea. With their help, over 1,100 people were
rescued from the water between March and
June. While the majority of the crew returned
to Germany at the beginning of June, some
volunteers stayed behind with a lifeboat to
help build up local SAR services in Greece.
After the movie, we donned our hard hats
and had a look at three boats that were just
getting refit and painted and were about to be
released back into the Weser River to go back
to their respective bases.
INTERNATIONAL
Some Seenotretter Facts
The DGzRS was founded in 1865 and just celebrated its 150th anniversary last year, which is also why the
IMRF World Maritime Rescue Congress took place in Germany that year!
The German Coast Guard is not responsible for any search and rescue operations, although sometimes
they come and help. All SAR is coordinated by the Seenotretter. (The German Coast Guard’s main focus is
border protection.) They have some mandates RCM-SAR doesn’t, such as firefighting, transport of medical doctors and trans-
port of lifeguards and rescue divers.
Germany’s waters border the Netherlands, Denmark, Poland, Sweden and the UK, and the Seenotretter
frequently collaborates with neighbouring rescue organizations such as the RNLI and KNRM. Herr Meyer
described the collaboration as “excellent,” a word that Germans use very rarely, so when they do you know
that they mean it!
actually located in the same building! We went
upstairs to check it out, but sadly the MRCC
staff were busy dealing with an incident at
the time. Right next to the MRCC is Bremen
Rescue Radio, a station that monitors channels
16 and 70 night and day.
This concluded my visit to the Seenotretter headquarters in Bremen. I was more than
excited to continue to Bremerhaven the next
day and meet with an on-call crew.
Another difference between how things are
run in Germany versus how they’re run here
in Canada is that they use an MRCC—Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre—which is
Day 2: Onboard the Rescue
Cruiser Hermann Rudolf Meyer
The following afternoon, I made my way to
Bremerhaven Harbour and found the rescue
cruiser Hermann Rudolf Meyer. It is 76 feet
Compass 25 July 2016
long and has its own lifeboat on the back deck.
It was interesting to see that they operate the
cruiser and lifeboat with a crew of only four—
one of whom is a machinist. The on-call crew,
who live on the boat during their 14-day shifts,
welcomed me with coffee and tea which they
served in their mess, which doubles up as a
sickbay when needed.
Coxswain Andreas and crew members
Christian, Olaf and Wilm gave me a tour of
their vessel—engine room, kitchen, bridge—
and we compared gear and processes and
exchanged plenty of anecdotes. Some of their
calls involve work accidents onboard big
commercial ships, not something that ever
happens in Sooke! It was interesting to see
INTERNATIONAL
how many things we do in similar ways, but
also how many things are done differently.
The coxswain then decided to indulge me
and head out for a quick patrol around the
harbour area (amazing) and I even got a ride
on their lifeboat (even more amazing)! The
lifeboat is a cabin boat, and at one outboard
engine and 23 feet is a little smaller than our
Falkins-class vessels; it slides into the water off
the cruiser’s stern deck and you drive it back
up afterwards assisted by a cable pull.
While the visit to their head office was fun
and informative (and especially their MRCC,
if I had been able to spend more time there),
meeting the local duty crew was my favourite part. I am truly grateful that the four of
them took the extra time for my barrage of
questions, and hope that if they ever find
themselves in British Columbia they drop by
our station so I can return the hospitality!
Next time you’re on vacation, I recommend checking out the local rescue scene and
exchanging stories with the locals, whether it’s
marine search and rescue or a different organization. It’s amazing how much you can learn!
More Seenotretter Facts
Seenotretter has 20 cruisers between 20 and 46 metres (up to 150 feet) in length operated by paid crews,
which are on call for 14 days and then off for 14 days. They also have 40 lifeboats (like ours), operated
entirely by volunteers.
They have 180 full-time staff and around 800 volunteers, and they are in the luxurious position to have
more applicants for the volunteer work than they need.
They maintain 54 stations along the German coastline (North Sea and Baltic Sea) which, counting islands
and inlets, is almost 3,000 kilometres long.
They are financed entirely through donations and some grants, but no tax money.
Compass 26 July 2016
BOATING SAFETY UPDATE
What’s New in SAR Prevention
By Cathy Dupuis, SAR Prevention Manager
The summer boating season is underway and Station 101 Southern
Interior members Grant Holkestad, Bob Montguire, Reginald McClellan, Steven Plecas, Ciy Young and Doug Young are out on the lake
conducting our vessel safety surveys (VSS). It’s not uncommon for them
to become a vessel of opportunity, helping out some of the other boaters.
On that note, I know there are other VSS kits still out there. Please
do your best to find opportunities to head out on the water and talk to
some local folks. There is a VSS report form on the SAR Management
System—add pictures if you have some. We still need to account for the
kits.
Two new Kids Don’t Float boards will soon be installed in Richmond
thanks to Station 10—specifically, station member Jake Popiez. One
will be installed at the No. 2 Road public boat launch and another at
the Steveston Harbour Authority Public Fish Sales Float. Both of these
sites see large numbers of visitors throughout the year and offer ideal
visibility for the program.
Station 37 Sooke had their local Sparks unit visit their new boat
house. Approximately 20 of these young ladies were told who we are
and shown what we do by Marleen Kiral, Rob Roe and Jason van der
Valk.
In Prince Rupert, a Grade 1 class attended a Kids Don’t Float safety
tour. They were shown how to put on PFDs properly and choose the
right fit and taught the importance of safety on/around the water. They
were also shown where they can borrow PFDs at the local Kids Don’t
Float station. They also got a tour of the station’s dedicated response
RCM-SAR Station 5 Crescent Beach members worked with young boaters at
World Ocean Day on June 5 at Blackie Spit Park.
vessel Orme G. Stuart and talked about what we do. Thanks to Robin
Beattie, Marko Kessler, Amber Sheasgreen and William Spat.
Station 8 Delta has taken part in two recent boating safety events.
On May 14 they carried out pleasure craft safety checks for Canadian
registered pleasure craft at the annual boating safety day at their home
port in Point Roberts. There were a total of nine checks at different
times and on different sides of the marina and station members also
provided general boating safety knowledge to boaters and handed out
some brochures.
On May 29 Delta participated in the May Days Parade held annually in Ladner. This is an event that promotes community awareness of
RCM-SAR and the work we do. The Spirit of Delta V is put on a trailer
and towed for the parade. On average the parade has approximately 80
participants and viewers in the thousands. Thank you to Trevor Adams,
Dale Anaka, John McCorquodale and Don McGregor.
On a final note, please attach photos to the activity reports whenever
possible. Don’t be shy folks—be a ham and get in front of the camera!
Compass 27 July 2016
TRAINING & EXERCISES
What’s New in Training and Exercises
Join the Teaching Team!
We are accepting applications for assistant instructors for RCMSAR’s SARNav program at the headquarters and training centre in East
Sooke.
This is a dynamic and rewarding position that is a key part of
RCM-SAR’s training system. Working with the chief instructor, the
assistant instructors will help guide members through our simulator
and on-water training to complete SARNav 1, SARNav 2 and other
certifications. Duties include classroom assistance including chartwork,
helping with simulator instruction and providing on-water supervision
in the training vessel.
This is a contract position. Courses run approximately every two
weeks and assistant instructors are required Saturdays, Sundays and
Mondays. Assistant instructors are required to have completed RHIOT,
SARNav 2 and MED-A3.
Please apply to recruiting@rcmsar.com or call Chief Instructor Francois Michaud at 778 352-1780.
Training Building
The training building is open for business! The first SARNav (simulator) course was held the weekend of June 17-19, which marks the first
time RCM-SAR has held a simulator course at its own facility. We
are developing a course schedule for the summer and fall pending the
hiring of new assistant instructors.
Other organizations are also scheduled to use the Headquarters and
Training Centre for their own training. On June 21, RCM-SAR hosted
provincial environmental emergency response officers and the Western
Canada Marine Response Corporation. They held a simulated spill
response exercise in Sooke Basin, practising water boom deployment
techniques on the water and shoreline.
Compass 28 July 2016
TRAINING & EXERCISES
Chief Instructor Francois Michaud instructs the
first SARNav 1 class in the new training building.
It’s very exciting to see RCM-SAR’s new headquarters being used as
was envisioned by all those who helped transform the training building
from an idea into a reality. Stay tuned to future issues of the Compass for
more updates on how the facilities are being used.
Training Standards
With our director of operations and training still on disability for
the next few months, we are going to focus efforts to further develop
and streamline RCM-SAR’s training standards. The intent is to hire a
person who might be suited to that term role.
First Responder Training
Following recent positive feedback from station leaders, RCMSAR will transition to First Responder first aid training from Marine
Advanced First Aid.
Advantages of First Responder training:
• first aid training is specifically designed for first responders
• flexibility in curriculum content and delivery means courses can
be tailored for RCM-SAR members
• training is consistent with fire crews across the province—
improves interoperability
• available across the province in every jurisdiction—easier access to
training in remote locations
Provincial Environmental Emergency Response Officers and staff
from Western Canada Marine Response Corporation practice boom
techniques at the RCM-SAR training centre.
We are confident that this will improve course availability and reduce
the recertification requirements.
Compass 29 July 2016
TRAINING
Shuswap Station Faces Catastrophe in Exercise Joint Fury
By Terry Swityk, Coxswain, RCM-SAR Station 106 Shuswap
RCM-SAR Station 106 Shuswap had the
unique opportunity to join in a multi-agency
exercise put on by the Shuswap Emergency
Program (SEP). Firefighters, paramedics,
search and rescue crews, police and other
Shuswap emergency responders, along with
RCM-SAR 106, converged on the Waterway
Houseboats site at Two Mile in Sicamous
on Saturday, May 14. The groups responded
to two “incidents”: a fire on the docks and a
motor-vehicle incident involving a hazardous
material spill into Mara Lake.
Every four to five years the SEP facilitates
a full-scale multiple agency exercise. The last
one occurred in 2011 with a recommendation
that the next exercise have a hazmat element—
and so Joint Fury was born.
The Main Scenarios
The weather this April and May was unusually warm in the Shuswap,
and there was a noticeable increase in boating activity on the lakes, well
in advance of normal. May 14 was starting off like any other recent
Saturday, when, moments before 10:00 a.m., Waterway Houseboat
Vacations called 9-1-1, reporting that a boat had just rammed the west
dock where the fueling pumps are. The entire dock had burst into flames.
The crashed boat had sunk out of sight, sliding down and under the
dock, with the operator appearing either dead or unconscious but still
in the boat according to Waterway’s staff. They reported to 9-1-1 that
Compass 30 July 2016
TRAINING
Other Scenarios
A medical scenario came first. A Station 106 crew was dispatched
to one of the houseboats to assist a 64-year-old male with a history of
heart problems. The man was evaluated and found to be without his
heart medication. The crew decided to take the man off the boat to
decrease anxiety and get the proper medication for him. We were then
instructed to take the gentleman back to his house boat.
Once that task was completed we were dispatched for a man overboard at one of the houseboats. We arrived on scene and tried a
self-rescue and then moved onto par-buckling when the victim couldn’t
get into the boat due to hypothermia. In the Shuswap, this can be a
common occurrence as the lake is deep and cold with only the top 30 or
so feet warming up during the summer. After the victim was on board
he was assessed, rewarmed and, after his vitals were returned to normal
we were instructed to return him back to the houseboat where he had
fallen off.
Photo: Salmon Arm Observer
there were probably well over 75 people on that dock, trapped behind
the fire.
The 9-1-1 operator immediately transferred the call to BC Ambulance Service, who obtained the details and quickly alerted fire and
police dispatches. Once the fire was out, Station 106 was tasked to help
deploy an oil boom to prevent the fuel from contaminating the water
beyond the dock.
One wonders what more could possibly occur this beautiful warm
sunny day when, 20 minutes into the first scenario, a second incident
occurred nearby—a vehicle had collided with hazardous materials. The
vehicle’s three occupants had to be extricated from the vehicle and taken
to a hazmat team for decontamination (Eagle Valley Rescue Society
members involved in the extrication also had to be decontaminated after
the injured were removed from the vehicle). After decontamination, the
injured were taken to triage where they received additional care before
being loaded into an ambulance.
Compass 31 July 2016
TRAINING
We then completed the exercise, patrolling the area to ensure that
unauthorized boats were kept at a safe distance, allowing the other boats
working on the rescue to complete their work.
The “hot wash” (an immediate post-exercise evaluation) gave everyone
the opportunity to comment on the exercise: what went right, what
went wrong, how to correct problems and what we would like to see
next. According to Shuswap Emergency Program Co-ordinator Cliff
Doherty, this year’s hot wash suggested the next exercise’s focus would
be on an explosion. Doherty stated that SEP is having ongoing discussions with CP Rail and that a full-scale exercise on the rails might be
possible if organized carefully.
It was great that our station was involved in this kind of an exercise as
it shows the rescue community what our proficiency is and what we are
capable of. All the crew members performed very well in all the tasks
assigned. Station 106 continues to provide a good presence in the search
and rescue community in the Shuswap and uphold the reputation of
RCM-SAR as a very professional and efficient organization.
The Participants
The following Station 106 Shuswap members took part in Exercise Joint Fury:
On-Water SAR Crew: Coxswain Terry Swityk, crew members Fred Banham, Dave Harvey, Allan Langworth, Al Poole
Incident Command Centre (RCM-SAR representative): Chris Stone
On-Shore Volunteers: Fred Duck, Carol Langworth, Kurt Mushumanski
Drone Operators: Cathy and Paul Keam
Compass 32 July 2016
TRAINING
South Island Crews Take Part in Coast Guard SAR Exercise
By Jason van der Valk, SAR Operations Manager, RCM-SAR
On June 8, the Canadian Coast Guard ran
a SAREx event off the Victoria waterfront.
Three RCM-SAR stations—Oak Bay, Sooke
and Victoria—plus Coast Guard Inshore
Rescue Boat Service (IRB) 501, the Victoria Fire Department and Transport Canada
Harbour Patrol, took part in the multi-agency
SAR scenario.
The event started at 6:00 p.m. at the HMCS
Malahat in the Victoria Harbour where we
all came together, met and had a pre-briefing
about the event. CCGS Bartlett was the onscene commander.
At approximately 6:30 p.m., while we were
all on the docks, a “no duff ” came through
channel 16 to all SAR attendants of a canoe
overturned and two persons in the water off
10 Mile Point in Oak Bay. Station 33 Oak Bay
and IRB 501 quickly left the dock and headed
out on the tasking while the rest of the participants departed and headed to the staging
grounds.
The scenario: four people headed from Victoria Harbour by kayaks for a day trip to Oak
Bay along the Victoria waterfront. Last known
position was Victoria and they hadn’t been
The Coast Guard was very impressed with
the professionalism and responses of
everyone participating.
Compass 33 July 2016
TRAINING
seen since. Their car was located in the parking
lot where they parked earlier in the day.
Each station and organization had starting locations to begin various types of search
patterns. There was lots of communication and
everyone started their searches and worked
closely together.
Some crews were doing shoreline searches
off the Victoria waterfront, some were doing
shoreline searches from Albert Head to Fisgard Lighthouse and some crews were doing
expanding square searches east of Trial Island.
Approximately two hours after the beginning of the search, all parties and kayaks were
safely found—some in Enterprise Channel
and one person on Trial Island. The event was
completed and all people went back to HMCS
Malahat to debrief.
The Coast Guard was very impressed with
the professionalism and response of everyone
participating. Communications and teamwork
were excellent. This was a really fun evening
which further strengthened our skills and
brought each of us and our organizations
closer together.
Compass 34 July 2016
A big thank you goes to Geoff Denman
and Tyler Brand from the Coast Guard for
organizing this entire event and thank you to
MCTS Victoria and JRCC Victoria for their
participation as well.
Thank you to all the people who attended
this terrific event. We’re all looking forward to
the next one.
TRAINING
Port Alberni Crews Participate in Tsunami Exercise
On June 7–10, the city of Port Alberni hosted
the provincial government’s first, full-scale
earthquake and tsunami response drill, Exercise Coastal Response. The scenario, which
was based on a magnitude 9.0 earthquake
occurring off the shore of southwestern BC,
brought together stakeholders from over 60
organizations, including RCM-SAR Station
39 Port Alberni.
One of the main goals of the exercise was
to promote interagency cooperation of both
internal and external agencies that support
emergency response. With over 60 organizations and over 800 participants involved in the
exercise, effective interagency communication
was one of the event’s top priorities.
Station 39’s involvement in the exercise took
place on June 8 and involved two separate
tasks. The first task involved providing security
at the request of Coast Guard. Crew members John Douglas and Don Swerdfeger spent
approximately two hours providing security
around Bob Dailey Stadium while the Coast
Guard helicopter was operating in and around
the area.
The second task featured a simulated search
and rescue mission. For the scenario, JRCC
tasked the station to assist after aircraft
spotted a person lying near the shore in the
Alberni Inlet. The crew, which included Ian
Arklie, Erik Hjelholt, Tylo Smith, Peter Tabler,
Jeff Thuler and John Woodthorpe, departed
base in their Falkins-class vessel Alberni
Responder and using the coordinates provided
soon spotted the victim on shore. They conducted a SAP (stop assess plan) to determine
Compass 35 July 2016
TRAINING
the best approach to the shore, taking into
consideration the significant wind and tide
and set one crew member on shore to assess
the victim, who had sustained an arm injury.
The crew extracted the victim using their
davit crane and stretcher and provided additional first aid once he was safely aboard.
Because the victim’s injuries were non-life
threatening, the crew returned to Port Alberni
and transported him to a first aid station.
The crew debriefed following the exercise
and everyone felt things had gone well. This
was a great opportunity for the team to work
together, for newer members to take a lead
role and for all of the crew to get a feel for
their potential role in a major catastrophe.
Well done Port Alberni!
Port Alberni crew member Don Swerdfeger providing
security for the Coast Guard helicopter
This was a great opportunity for the team
to work together, for newer members to
take a lead role and for all of the crew to
get a feel for their potential role in a major
catastrophe.
Compass 36 July 2016
FINAL WORD
A Message From the President
By Greg Miller, President, Board of Governors, RCM-SAR
On May 14 and 15 I had the opportunity to
attend the 2016 SAREx at Camp Elphinstone
on the Sunshine Coast. First and foremost, I
want to thank the organizing committee for
the countless hours that were put into planning such an event and all the hard work they
did during the weekend to ensure everything
ran smoothly and on time. I want to thank the
camp board for allowing us to use their great
facility and all the camp staff for making us
feel welcome. I think the biggest compliment
for any organizing committee is that everyone
was talking about coming back to next year’s
event before the one they were at was even
over.
Lastly, I want to thank the more than 150
RCM-SAR members who participated over
the weekend and their societies who funded
them. We will continue to pursue all options
for funding in order to reduce the cost to the
members, but I think everyone would agree
that it’s great value for the actual cost.
This year’s event was very different than previous SARExs I have attended. Usually it’s the
on-water activities that are the big attraction,
but this year I think it was more the classroom
breakout sessions that really added value to the weekend. Non-SAR crew were encouraged
to attend and I don’t think they were disappointed. The breakout sessions included leadership
courses, RCM-SAR organizational structure and funding discussions, insurance and gaming
seminars, all of which were very educational. The on-water portion didn’t disappoint either, with
the main focus being crew communication and standardization. There were even five members
who attended from the Pickering Auxiliary Rescue Association in Pickering, Ontario, which is
part of the Central & Arctic region of the Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary.
Compass 37 July 2016
FINAL WORD
Throughout the weekend I had the opportunity to chat with many members from
different stations. It was really valuable for
me personally, and I think it only reinforced
for me what our focus has been over the last
10 months—communication. As the board
continues to move toward a stronger governance model we have all the confidence in Pat
to push this mandate, along with many other
projects he already has ongoing. I would hope
you all agree we have already seen a significant
increase in communication at all levels.
It reinforced for
me what our focus
has been over the
last 10 months—
communication.
I also wanted to update you on the 2019
IMRF Congress and Exhibition. The dates
have been tentatively set for August 4–8, 2019,
and we are moving toward booking the venue.
Soon you will see a dedicated website set up
with information on the event.
I know many of you are interested in how
you can volunteer and help. The first step is to
put together a small committee that will host the IMRF chair and executive director during their
visit to Vancouver in late July or early August. They will work with Tourism Vancouver and review
the different venues and locations. This committee will be the main point of contact but once we
start progressing, sub-committees will be put in place, and this is where additional help will be
needed. This is a huge undertaking with over 72 different SAR organizations expected to be represented and potentially up to 500 delegates. Of course all RCM-SAR members are encouraged
to attend the seminars that will take place over the three-day event. Pictured above is the website
banner that the office (specifically Jason) put together. I think it really encapsulates who we are
and our place in the west coast SAR system.
Lastly I just want to take a moment to thank my fellow board members for their continued
guidance and support. We are coming up to the AGM and will have some board members leaving us because they have completed their terms. We have an extremely qualified board with skills
from many different fields all working together to continue to improve RCM-SAR. They all
have passion for the organization and understand the value RCM-SAR offers the mariners of
British Columbia. Soon you will see the call come out for applications to join next year’s board. I
encourage anyone who is interested and feels they can add value to apply. We do have a limited
numbers of seats available, but the recruiting committee will review all applicants. We are also in
the process of planning this year’s AGM, which will be held in the Lower Mainland and have a
completely new format and feel. I look forward to seeing everyone there.
Wishing everyone a great summer—stay safe!
Compass 38 July 2016
RESCUE
Boat wise and street smart—the new line of high
quality RCM-SAR apparel brings it all together!
Our new partner, Out of the Blue Designs, offers
RCM-SAR members a new and improved selection of
high quality branded apparel plus much faster delivery
times.
From business casual to tough foul weather gear, you
will look great in RCM-SAR clothing. Check out our
new catalog and watch for new products and an online
ordering tool soon.
To order today, just fill out the form at the back of the
catalog and email it to clothing@rcmsar.com.
Orders will go directly to Out of the Blue Designs.
RESCUE
If you would like to support RCM-SAR, please send your donation and the form below to:
Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue
6040 East Sooke Road, Sooke BC V9Z 0Z7
Thank you for helping save lives on the water!
Compass 40 July 2016