MARITIME SEARCH AND
RESCUE IN BRITISH
COLUMBIA
CANADIAN SEARCH AND
RESCUE
Maritime SAR in Canada
• SAR is a federal responsibility
• The Department of National Defence has
the role of lead agency for coordinating
SAR related activities in Canada
• Coordinated by a Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) or a Maritime
Rescue Sub Centre (MRSC)
• A joint operation by Canadian Forces and
Canadian Coast Guard
Maritime SAR in Canada
• A major operation will involve many
authorities and organizations outside the
SAR system
Canadian SAR Regions
Canadian SAR Regions
The Canadian Search and Rescue Area
is considerable.
Compare it to the size of Europe
Unified Command Structure in
Canada
SRR Commander
(Incident Commander)
Public
Affairs
Liaison Officers
OIC/RSMS
Senior
Military
Staff
Officer
SMC
Military
Support
Police CCG
EMO Medical
Etc.
Civilian
Support
On Scene
Commander
Unified
Command
Ship Owner
Representative
What Has Canada Done To
Prepare
• A SAR structure which meets
international commitments
• A well integrated system of regular and
volunteer response units
• Well trained response units, military and
civil
What Has Canada Done To
Prepare (Continued)
• Canadian Forces /Canadian Coastguard
Project Team updated Major Marine
Disaster Plans
• A review of the Command and Control
framework
• Regular exercises
International Air and Marine
Search And Rescue (IAMSAR)
Manual
• There has been International agreement
on Search and Rescue services, dividing
the world into national areas of
responsibility, and covering organisation,
distress channels for aviation and
marine, distress signals, etc.
International Air and Marine
Search And Rescue (IAMSAR)
Manual
• The current IAMSAR Manual was
introduced in 1998, and has three
volumes
1. Organization and Management
2. Mission Co-ordination
3. Mobile facilities
Canadian Coast Guard Search
and Rescue Program
Canadian Coast Guard
Mission
• Save 100% lives at risk
• Reduce the number and severity of
SAR incidents
• Minimize loss of life, injury, property
damage and risk to the environment
• Support and involve the RCM-SAR
Canadian Coast Guard
Mission
• Maintain the highest professional
standards
• Provide national leadership and
effective SAR Program management
• Provide international SAR leadership
• Maximize SAR system efficiency
through innovation
• Promote volunteerism
Canadian Coast Guard
Mission
• Increase awareness of the SAR
Program
• Assist in the development of the
National SAR Program
• Foster cooperative SAR agreements
• Provide humanitarian aid and civil
assistance where possible
BRITISH COLUMBIA
JRCC Victoria
• Search and Rescue on the West Coast
of Canada is coordinated out of the
Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in
Victoria.
• It is based at the Canadian Forces Base
at Esquimalt.
• It is responsible for air and maritime
rescue throughout the area.
JRCC Victoria
• In the event of an alert at JRCC
Victoria, the operation will be passed to
air controllers for an aeronautical
incident, or a marine controller for a
maritime incident.
JRCC Victoria
This alarm may be raised by many
methods including:
• EPIRB or EPIB signal
• Telephone call from the authorities or
public sighting an incident or distress
signal
• Calls from another vessel
JRCC Victoria
The JRCC will alert rescue resources
•
Helicopters and fixed wing SAR
aircraft
•
Coast Guard and RCM-SAR vessels
including hovercraft
•
Merchant vessels nearby
JRCC Victoria
Rescue resources (Continued)
• Warships
• Pleasure Craft
• Fishing Vessels
• The SAR command and control
structure
JRCC Alert List
• The Ship Owner (shipping
company)
• Local Authority (EMO)
• RCMP and Police
• Harbour Master
• Fire Departments
• Ambulance Departments
JRCC Alert List
•
•
•
•
•
Hospitals
Provincial Emergency Plan
Transport Canada
Environment Canada
Provincial ministries
Primary Rescue Resources
Canadian Coast Guard Stations are
situated at:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Victoria
Prince Rupert
Sidney
Nanaimo
Sea Island
Kitsilano
Powell River
Primary Rescue Resources
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Saltspring Island (Ganges)
Tofino
Bamfield
Port Hardy
Bella Bella
Sandspit
Campbell River
Cortes Is - (seasonal)
RCM-SAR Units in
British Columbia
BEWARE
• Some of these authorities and organizations
may have different command and control
systems
Emergency Site Management (ESM)
Incident Command System (ICS)
• System in Canadian Unified Command
Centres is a mix of IAMSAR and ICS
And did you remember
•
•
•
•
•
•
The media
Salvage/recovery of the ship(s)
The media
Pollution
The media
Record keeping and the subsequent
enquiry
Media Handling
•
•
•
•
Interest in a major incident will be intense
‘No comment’ will not be adequate
A co-ordinated media strategy is vital
Be prepared to provide information and
facilities to assist the news media to do
its job
• Be prepared to provide operational
‘talking heads’ for news conferences and
interviews
MAJOR MARINE DISASTER
What is a Major Marine
Disaster
• Involves large numbers of people
• In a marine environment that may be
outside the jurisdiction of shore
authorities
• May involve more than one vessel
• Probably involves removing large
numbers of persons from a ship to a
place of safety.
International Correspondence Group
on Large Passenger Vessel Safety
Radio communications and SAR have a part to
play in any incident before a ship is actually
evacuated – even before the decision to
evacuate is made. Ideally, communications
with the RCC and other SAR facilities will have
been initiated well before. And ‘SAR’ should
not be considered only as a matter of finding
and recovering people in distress.
International Correspondence Group
on Large Passenger Vessel Safety
SAR service assistance can be provided to the
ship before it is evacuated, preferably to
prevent evacuation becoming necessary –
firefighting or medical teams may be
transferred aboard, emergency towing
assistance supplied, etc.
International Correspondence Group
on Large Passenger Vessel Safety
The response to any incident extends beyond
the safe delivery of survivors to the shore.
The maritime SAR services are (or should be)
closely involved with their shore-side
counterparts in arranging efficient transfer of
the survivors into shore-side care. In the case
of a large passenger ship evacuation this will
be a very complicated process, with the need
for extensive communication – at the ….
International Correspondence Group
on Large Passenger Vessel Safety
…. contingency planning stage as well as during
any incident.
Command Considerations
• Additional air resources
• Where will survivors be landed
• Where will injured persons be landed and
will it be by air or sea
• Are the facilities in these locations
adequate
• If additional resources are required at
these locations how will they get there
and how quickly
What needs to be
remembered
• Keep the Major Marine Disaster Plan up to
date- review it regularly
• Exercise realistically but in a controlled
manner- remember to include external
agencies in exercises
• Continue exercises beyond the shoreline
• Speak to stakeholders – shipping interests
• Every major incident will be different – be
prepared to improvise around the basic plan
PLANNING AND TRAINING
• You’ve carefully thought out all the
angles…
• You’ve done it all a thousand times
before…
• It comes so naturally to you
• You know what you’re doing, its
what you’ve been trained to do your
whole life…
• Nothing could possibly go wrong,
right?
SEARCH AND RESCUE
AROUND VANCOUVER
Canadian Coast Guard
• The Canadian Coastguard is
represented in the Vancouver area by:
– MCTS Vancouver
– Marine resources at Kitsilano Base
– Hovercrafts at Vancouver Airport
MARINE COMMUNICATIONS
AND
TRAFFIC SERVICES
VANCOUVER
North Window View
MCTS Mission Statement
To provide communications and traffic services for
the marine community and for the benefit of the
public at large to ensure:
1. Safety of life at sea in response to international
agreements
2. Protection of the environment through traffic
management
3. Efficient movement of shipping
4. Information for business and the national
interest
MCTS Program Statement
Within the Coast Guard, MCTS programs provide:



the initial response to ships in a distress
situation;
a reduction in the probability of ships being
involved in collisions, groundings, and strikings;
a cornerstone in the marine information
collection and dissemination infrastructure.
MCTS: Mandated Services
• Distress - Safety - Communications &
Coordination
• Vessel Screening to prevent the entry of
unsafe vessels into Canadian waters
• Regulating Vessel Traffic Movements for
marine risk reduction
• Managing an Integrated Marine Information
System in support of economic benefits and
national interests.
MCTS in British Columbia
The Pacific Region, Canada
Coast Guard (CCG) operates
three Vessel Traffic Services
Zones: Vancouver; Tofino; and,
Prince Rupert.
MCTS in British Columbia
The Vancouver Zone is comprised
of 4 sectors:
Sector 1 = Victoria MCTS Centre
(SOG / JDF)
Sector 2 = Victoria MCTS Centre
(S. ARM)
Sector 3 = Vancouver MCTS
Centre
Sector 4 = Comox MCTS Centre
Vancouver MCTS:
Area of Responsibility
From Iona Sewer Jetty westward (15A)
until it intersects with line running
south from Cape Roger Curtis (15B);
From Cape Roger Curtis westward to
Gower Point (15C)
All waters in Howe Sound, English
Bay, Burrard Inlet and Indian Arm,
including Port Moody and False Creek.
Vancouver MCTS Operations
Located on the 23 floor of 555 West Hastings
Street, it is comprised of 4 distinct operations
consoles:
• Vancouver Vessel Traffic;
• Safety (Coast Guard Radio);
• Watch Supervisor; and,
• Regional Marine Information Console
(RMIC)
Watts
Point VHF
Bowen Is
Radar
MCTS
Vancouver
Traffic Console
(view to Second Narrows)
Traffic Console
Vancouver Coast Guard
Radio
• Vancouver Coast Guard radio operates
out of MCTS Vancouver
Safety Console
Vancouver Coastguard Radio
Communications Control System
Harbour Centre VHF
Ch. 04A,16, 22A, 26, 83A
Watts Point VHF
Ch. 16, 26, 83A
These VHF channels are all recorded and
tapes kept.
In addition, any of these channels can be set
to repeat in JRCC Victoria (1709)
Communications Control System
Supervisor’s Console
Vancouver Port Authority and
Vancouver MCTS
(Memorandum of Understanding)
The purpose of the MOU is to ensure a strong
operational interface and an enhanced and efficient
level of safety in the Port.
•Second Narrows Movement Restriction Area
•First Narrows Regulations
•Marine Emergencies
•Anchorages
•Tankers
•Engine Immobilization Requests
Vancouver Approach: Winter
Inner Harbour (Winter)
Berry Pt. Radar (Winter)
Vancouver Approach: Summer
Foggy Sunrise
Winter Sunrise
CANADIAN COASTGUARD
KITSILANO BASE
CCG Kitsilano Base
• Situated at the south east corner of Vanier
Park, by the Burrard Street Bridge. It is manned
24 hours a day, and have two craft:
CCG Kitsilano Base
CCGC Osprey
– Built 1985
– Displacement 15.7t
– Length
12.4m
– Draft
1.3m
CCG Kitsilano Base
CCG Kitsilano 1- a 733 RHIB with twin
150hp outboards
CCG Hovercraft
There are two hovercraft based at
Vancouver Airport:
•Penac
•Siyay
CCG Hovercraft
Penac
CCG Hovercraft
Siyay
ROYAL CANADIAN MARINE
SEARCH & RESCUE
RCM-SAR
• Southern Area
– Station 1 - Howe Sound
– Station 2 - Indian Arm
– Station 4 - Squamish
– Station 5 - Crescent Beach
– Station 8 - Delta
RCM-SAR
– Station 10 - Richmond
– Station 12 - Halfmoon Bay
– Station 14 - Gibsons
– Station 61 - Pender Harbour
RCM-SAR
• Northern Area
– Station 45 - Massett
– Station 62 - Klemtu
– Station 63 - Kitimat
– Station 64 - Prince Rupert
– Station 65 - Port Simpson
– Station 66 - Queen Charlotte
RCM-SAR
– Station 67 - Stewart
– Station 68 - Ocean Falls
– Station 69 - Sandspit
– Station 74 - Kitkatla
– Station 75 - Kincolith
RCM-SAR
• Central Area
– Station 20 - Salish Sea
– Station 25 - Gulf Islands
– Station 27 - Nanaimo
– Station 29 - Ladysmith
– Station 33 - Oak Bay
– Station 34 - Mill Bay
RCM-SAR
– Station 35 - Victoria
– Station 36 - Saanich
– Station 37 - Sooke
– Station 38 - Long Beach
– Station 39 - Port Alberni
– Station 42 - Kyoquot
– Station 43 - Port Alice
RCM-SAR
– Station 50 - Port McNeill
– Station 51 - Alert Bay
– Station 52 - Port Hardy
– Station 53 - Bamfield
– Station 54 - Campbell River
– Station 55 - Powell River
– Station 58 - French Creek
RCM-SAR
– Station 59 - Deep Bay
– Station 60 - Comox