Canadian National SAR Manual

B-GA-209-001/FP-001 TP 5421 NATIONAL SEARCH AND RESCUE MANUAL CHAPTER 1 -- INTRODUCTION GENERAL 1. In 1986, the Federal Government of Canada directed the establishment of a National Search and Rescue Program (NSP). The NSP is a unique undertaking by federal and participating provincial, municipal and private SAR organizations with the objective of saving lives by enhancing SAR prevention and the provision, through Canada's accepted areas of responsibility, of effective and affordable SAR services. 2. Jurisdiction. Responsibilities for the provision of SAR services are generally well defined within federal, provincial and local jurisdictions, and private organizations, but not always as clearly among organizations. Membership in the NSP does not in any way change existing jurisdictions, responsibilities or authorities, nor require the mandatory expenditure of resources. However membership does provide a structure and process by which jurisdictional interfaces can be clarified and the effective and efficient and economical use of resources can be more closely coordinated, in a mutual and nationally beneficial manner. 3. NSP Components. The NSP is characterized by the three complementary components of air, marine and land SAR and by the division of each component into two sub-components of SAR operations and SAR prevention. NATIONAL SAR OBJECTIVE 4. Objectives. The national SAR objective is to prevent loss of life and injury through search and rescue alerting, responding and aiding activities which use public and private resources, including where possible and directly related thereto, reasonable efforts to minimize damage to or loss of property; and by ensuring appropriate priority to aviation and marine safety and prevention measures focused on owners and operators most com- monly involved in SAR incidents. 5. Area of Responsibility. The Canadian area of responsibility for air search and rescue is as defined under ICAO agreements, and for marine search and rescue as defined under IMO agreements and in Canadian waters of the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence system. INTERNATIONAL SAR TREATIES, CONVENTIONS AND AGREEMENTS 6. Participation. Canada participates in a number of international organizations such as the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the International Maritime Organization (IMO), and has agreed to adopt SAR standards and practices in accordance with the Convention on International Civil Aviation, the International Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue, and the International Convention for Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS). Standardization is also achieved by membership in international military organizations such as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the Air Standardization Coordinating Committee (ASCC). Similarly, the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) seeks standardization of marine SAR procedures through IMO forums such as the Maritime Safety Committee and the Lifesaving, Search and Rescue Sub-Committee. Finally, agreements between Canadian and American SAR agencies enhance coordination and mutual support operations adjacent to the common border. NSP MANAGEMENT OVERVIEW 7. General. Within the federal system, the focus on SAR as a distinct integrated activity is maintained through the Interdepartmental Committee on Search and Rescue (ICSAR) and the National Search and Rescue Secretariat (NSS). Although numerous federal, provincial, municipal, commercial and volunteer groups contribute to the National SAR Program, this manual will focus on the federal responsibility for Air and Marine SAR activity. 8. Lead Minister. To establish a single spokesperson for the government on overall SAR matters, the Prime Minister, in December 1976, identified the Minister of National Defence (MND) as the Lead Minister (LM) and spokesperson for the government on SAR. This was reconfirmed in 1982 and again in 1986 by cabinet. 9. ICSAR. The Interdepartmental Committee on Search and Rescue (ICSAR) is made up of senior federal officials representing departments and central agencies involved in the National SAR program. This Committee is the primary forum for the development of advice for the LM SAR. ICSAR is responsible for identifying SAR requirements and advising the government on how best to respond to these requirements. ICSAR exists to provide interdepartmental coordination and advice to the Ministers in the areas of SAR policy, planning, resources, and effectiveness. 10. ICSAR Composition. The ICSAR is chaired by the Executive Director of NSS and consists of members from Department of National Defence (DND), Transport Canada (TC), Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO), Environment Canada, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), and Parks Canada (PC). Additional ICSAR representatives include the Department of Energy, Mines, and Resources (EMR), Department of Indian and Northern Affairs (DINA), Emergency Preparedness Canada (EPC), Treasury Board (TB) and the Privy Council (PCO). 11. NSS. The National SAR Secretariat (NSS) is an independent body outside the line authorities of SAR delivery departments and it plays a central managerial support role of the overall SAR objectives of departments. The role of the NSS is to enhance the provision of effective, efficient and economical SAR services in Canada by facilitating the development of the NSP. This includes facilitating the cooperation, communication and coordination among National SAR Program members in the development of policy, resource planning, research and development, analysis and review. The Executive Director of the NSS has been designated the Chairman of ICSAR. He is responsible to the Lead Minister for SAR. Operational departments deliver SAR service and, via ICSAR and/or departmental lines of communication, advise the lead Minister in areas of SAR policy, planning, resources and effectiveness. This management process allows the lead Minister to receive the advice of the departments and the independent advice of the NSS (if there is not consensus) with which to make program recommendations to Cabinet. The SAR delivery departments thus retain full control of SAR operations and execute their components of the NSP. AIR AND MARINE SAR SERVICE 12. Joint CCG and DND Activity. DND and CCG support the national SAR objective through two areas of activity related to the air and marine SAR service: a. SAR operations, aimed at detection, response and rescue; and b. SAR prevention, aimed at reducing the number and severity of SAR incidents through education and the enforcement of relevant regulations. DEPARTMENT OF NATIONAL DEFENCE SAR RESPONSIBILITIES 13. DND Responsibilities - General. The primary responsibility for the provision of air SAR services and effective operation of the coordinated air and marine SAR system is assigned to DND. The provision of assistance to aircraft in distress through a federal air SAR service arises out of Canada's signatory status to the 1944 Convention on International Civil Aviation, Article 25. In 1947 Cabinet Directive 18 (Annex 1A), authorized the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) to establish facilities and equipment to meet this commitment. Cabinet Directive 22 (Annex 1B) further delegated responsibility for marine SAR coordination to the RCAF in 1951. 14. National Defence Headquarters Responsibilities. National Defence Headquarters (NDHQ) is responsible for: a. DND SAR policy and military resource allocation; b. liaison with the National SAR Secretariat; c. the provision of a DND ICSAR representative responsible for departmental SAR policy coordination; and d. liaison with other SAR operating departments and agencies. 15. Air Command Responsibilities. Air Command (AIRCOM) is responsible for: a. command of all primary SAR assets; b. the establishment and manning of the RCC's and the SARSAT Canadian Mission Control Centre; c. the provision of ground search parties in support of air and marine incidents; and d. the interface between CASARA/SARABEC and the CF at the national level. 16. Commander MARLANT Responsibilities. The commander Maritime Forces Atlantic (MARLANT), as Commander of the Halifax SRR, is responsible for the planning, coordinating and controlling of SAR response in the Halifax SRR's. 17. Commander ATG Responsibilities. The Commander of Air Transport Group (ATG), as Commander of the Trenton SRR, is responsible for the planning, coordinating and controlling of SAR response in the Trenton SRRs. 18. Commander MARPAC Responsibilities. The Commander Maritime Forces Pacific (MARPAC), as Commander of the Victoria SRR, is responsible for the planning, coordinating and controlling of SAR response in Victoria SRR's. 19. DND SAR Activities. The SAR activities of DND/the Canadian Forces (CF) are: a. the efficient operation of the coordinated SAR system; b. the provision and operation of the RCCs and other SAR facilities in conjunction with CCG; c. the coordination, control, and conduct of air SAR operations within the Canadian area of responsibility and between Canada and the United States in accordance with existing agreements; d. the setting of priorities pertaining to the allocation of SAR resources to SAR operations; e. the provision of SAR aircraft in response to SAR incidents within the Canadian area of responsibility, the activities of which are coordinated through RCCs and Marine Rescue Sub-Centres (MRSCs); f. the provision of humanitarian and civil assistance as a secondary tasking. g. formulation and promulgation of SAR policy (in collaboration with ICSAR); h. establishment of operating standards and the

Load more