As a part of the course, a program attendee practices starting a fire during a collaborative search and rescue training course at Prince Albert National Park. (Logan Lehmann/paNOW staff)

By Logan Lehmann

Search and Rescue

Search and rescue volunteers take part in province’s first large-scale training course in PA National Park

May 28, 2023 | 8:00 AM

More than 50 people were on hand in Waskesiu this weekend to embark on the province’s first large-scale search and rescue training course in Prince Albert National Park.

Hosted by Parks Canada in collaboration with the Search and Rescue Saskatchewan Association of Volunteers (SARSAV), Prince Albert Grand Council (PAGC), and Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA), the 40-hour training course was covered over two weekends in May and included search and rescue teams from across the province, including Big River First Nation, Little Red River Reserve, Montreal Lake Cree Nation, Muskoday First Nation, Lac La Ronge Indian Band, Ahtahkakoop Cree Nation, along with multiple SARSAV chapters and SPSA personnel.

SARSAV President Bobbi Buchanan gave some background on some of the training exercises that the attendees did over the first half of the 40-hour course.

“It’s designed to bring in entry-level (search and rescue) responders to support communities in the north and across the province,” she explained. “The first weekend we had some in-classroom sessions where people would learn some theory. Then we got out into the outdoors and practiced search techniques, learned about preparedness like what they needed to bring in search packs and we also learned the basics about navigation.”

She added that the attendees also were taught how to properly use a map and compass as well as how to navigate using UTM (Universal Transverse Mercator) co-ordinates and waypoints. Another point was that the group also practiced various search types like a closed grid search and a hasty search.

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This weekend was far different compared to the one prior where the group was taught the basics of survival, like starting a fire using different methods and setting up shelter. The attendees also got to participate in a full-on search and rescue exercise involving all the skills they learned during the course.

Buchanan expressed the importance of this program and how beneficial it is in the province.

“It’s extremely important to have trained (search and rescue),” she said. “Having trained capacity means when someone goes missing, we have a rapid trained professional response. Not only do they know how to keep themselves and others safe while they’re searching, but they’re trained in clue awareness, lost person behaviour, things that help them find the lost person quicker. They’re also trained to work under the structure of incident command and our authorities having jurisdiction. So they’re co-ordinated professional response and not everyone doing their own thing. That coordination plus the training allows us to be more effective out there in locating the lost and missing quicker.”

The program wraps up Sunday with a written exam and a full-scale test search within the Park.

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logan.lehmann@pattisonmedia.com

Twitter: @lloganlehmann