As we present our Year in Review for 2023, Saskatoon Search and Rescue (SSAR) reflects upon a year filled with opportunities and challenges met with unwavering dedication and commitment. From responding to missing person activations, advancements in our training and technology, to community engagement and so much more, this report encapsulates our achievements, partnerships, and the impact of our endeavors.
TRAINING
Our newest members completed their Searcher course in December 2022 and dedicated the past year to expanding their experience and capabilities.
Many of these members have also joined sub-committees, taken a Board role, or assisted with various other duties within the team.
As we continuously strive to improve our operational effectiveness and provide the highest level of response for lost or missing persons and their families, the Rapid Response Team (RRT) was formed.
In its second year, the RRT trains rigorously to deploy quickly and efficiently in the early stages of a search to reduce our response time, increase search effectiveness, and increase the probability of a successful outcome.
We are the first SAR team in the province to develop this capability.
The RRT is also the testing ground for new technologies before they are introduced to our whole team.
CalTopo provides easy-to-use map and tracking features; members can mark their track, waypoints and terrain features that Search and Rescue Managers can see in real time.
They are currently testing Zello, a push-to-talk walkie talkie app, that provides voice communication in remote areas until the repeater is set up for radio use.
In 2023, 14 members committed to over 100 hours of training each to complete their Red Cross Wilderness First Responder certification. They maintain their skills and advance their capacity in a variety of scenarios.
They are cross trained with the Rapid Response Team, further improving our ability to quickly search, access, and provide initial medical support to a lost or missing person.
11 members completed the Search and Rescue Management Course in early 2023 and are continuously working towards improving their management skills in a variety of search scenarios and are becoming proficient in the use of CalTopo as a mapping and tasking tool.
The addition of these Search and Rescue Managers allows us to assist our Agencies Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) in a management role and also manage multiple searches should the need arise.
Several of our Search and Rescue Managers, along with Managers from across the province and our AHJs, attended the first ever Search Manager's Forum hosted by SARSAV. The goal is to build collegiality and share best practices.
We design training scenarios based on historical searches and realistic potential situations that may arise. Our scenarios always involve live volunteer subjects who add a level of realism and authenticity.
The commitment of the team to play out each scenario in real time, and the buy-in to completing the search through all stages is a strength we are proud of.
As the role of search and rescue teams expands into disaster response, there is a need for cooperation and interoperability between many emergency response organizations.
Members attended, and one instructed, the Disaster Assistance Response Training (DART) which provides a foundation for involvement in large scale emergencies and disasters.
In addition to new initiatives, we continue to work hard at the important basics such as truck and trailer operation and setup, Project Lifesaver electronic search specialist re-certification and scenarios, and much more.
Our SAR K9 teams put in more than 800 hours of training with SARDAA (Search and Rescue Dog Association of Alberta), in addition to training with our full team and taking on other roles within our organization.
Hawk and his handler, Erika Quiring, travelled to Edmonton 18 times this year and continue to work in the human remains detection profile. They passed their associate level tests and are working towards active certification in early 2024. Erika also qualified as a field tech and is active in that capacity. Hawk celebrated his second birthday in November!
Jenga and her handler, Kate Dean, are a live-find K9 team certified in wilderness, urban and disaster search. They undergo recertification testing every two years.
PROJECT LIFESAVER SASKATOON
"Bringing loved ones home."
SSAR has operated the Project Lifesaver program in Saskatoon since 2018. The program is designed to quickly locate individuals with cognitive disorders who are prone to the potentially life-threatening behaviour of wandering.
Participants in the Project Lifesaver program wear a band on their wrist or ankle that emits an individualized radio-frequency signal.
If a participant wanders, SSAR members trained as Electronic Search Specialists enter the frequency into a receiver and use the signal to search for and locate the missing person.
At the end of 2023, Project Lifesaver Saskatoon had 44 active clients.
- 30 individuals exhibit conditions such as autism, Down Syndrome, or cognitive impairment.
- 14 individuals face challenges associated with dementia, Alzheimer's, or other related conditions.
Since its inception, 115 Saskatoon families have been given peace of mind that there is a backup in place and our members can respond quickly in the event their loved one wanders.
Ten new SSAR members earned certification as Project Lifesaver Electronic Search Specialists, demonstrating their proficiency with receivers and equipment. All members must renew this certification biannually, emphasizing our commitment to ongoing training and expertise.
If you have a loved one who wanders due to a cognitive disorder, visit https://projectlifesaversaskatoon.org, or contact us at projectlifesaversaskatoon@gmail.com.
PUBLIC EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY EVENTS
Saskatoon Search and Rescue is committed to preventing search emergencies and empowering all ages to recreate safely in the outdoors.
In addition to educational booths at events such as the Saskatoon Police Service community barbecue, our AdventureSmart presenters did 11 presentations to 534 people in organizations such as the Saskatchewan Orienteering Association, the Wildlife Federation, Embers, Scouts, and community associations.
To request a Hug-a-Tree and Survive, Survive Outside, or other AdventureSmart presentations, go to www.adventuresmart.ca
We all know how important blood donations are and how much it can make a difference in someone's life.
After being inspired by Halifax Search and Rescue and their group blood donation, our team pulled together 9 donors to start a Partners for Life team with Canadian Blood Services. We issued a challenge to all Search and Rescue Volunteer Association of Canada SAR teams to do the same. We are pleased to say that many of them took up the challenge!
Five of our members were first time donors and one was making their 100th donation!
We are proud to support our fellow emergency services personnel in the YXE First Responders Fitness Festival by staffing a water station during the run portion of their event.
We supported many other community events in a first aid or communications capacity. These included Canada Day, Fireworks Festival, Wanuskewin Kona event, Saskatoon Marathon, Pride Parade, and two duathlons.
Our team was well represented at the 2023 Remembrance Day Ceremony.
“For those who leave never to return. For those who return but are never the same. We remember.”
We helped Santa and Mrs. Claus keep everyone safe and provided communication support at the annual Santa Claus Parade.
SSAR is also a critical infrastructure partner with Saskatoon EMO and many other organizations to address emergency community issues such as extreme heat and cold weather response, storms and flooding situations.
With over 6500 followers across all our social media platforms, this is a great place for education about Missing Persons Week, Emergency Preparedness, AdventureSmart, what our team is up to, and so much more.
Facebook is our main platform but if you need proof that our team has a sense of humour, give us a follow on Instagram @saskatoonsar
HONOURS AND RECOGNITION
SSAR was honoured as the 2023 recipient of the Badge Award from the Saskatoon Police Service at the annual Badge, Shield and Star Dinner.
“The Badge Award is given to individual members or organizations in the community who have provided invaluable assistance to the Saskatoon Police Service. Saskatoon Search and Rescue has demonstrated this by assisting our Public Safety Unit with searches for missing persons, as well as aiding in the recovery of evidence with police investigations. The assistance your organization provides has literally saved the lives of individuals who have been reported missing in our community and for this the Saskatoon Police Service is truly appreciative.” - Superintendent Dave Haye
We are very proud of SSAR member Dr. Jonathan Dean who convocated from the Academy of Wilderness Medicine in July. Jon is one of almost 1,000 active Fellows worldwide and the only person in Saskatchewan to hold his distinction. (FAWM)
To achieve this fellowship, Jon completed a very rigorous program of 95 credits over a 5-year period. His dedication to his profession and our team is immense.
In May, two of our members received the Queen's Platinum Jubilee Medal through SARSAV (Search and Rescue Saskatchewan Association of Volunteers).
Scott Wright has been a SAR volunteer almost his whole life and has held positions locally, provincially and nationally. He was instrumental in the formation of SARSAV, President of our national organization, SARVAC (Search and Rescue Volunteer Association of Canada) and has a very long list of past and ongoing accomplishments. Congratulations, Scott!
Devin King, also a member of Battlefords Search and Rescue, brought a wealth of knowledge to our team. He has made invaluable contributions to SSAR and, provincially, to other teams and to SARSAV over the years. We are thrilled to see his service recognized.
REPRESENTING SSAR PROVINCIALLY, NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY
In March, Kate and Jenga spent four days in Indiana at the Muscatatuck Urban Training Center. Along with other K9 teams from across North America, such as FEMA Task Force 1 teams, they trained in collapsed buildings, underground cave systems, and partially submerged buildings. Access to these areas included transport by airboat and multi-story rope systems between buildings.
Jon also attended and often found himself jammed tightly into small spaces, waiting for a K9 team to find him.
It doesn’t get any more real than this!
Several SARSAV members from across the province attended SARscene 2023 in St. John's, NL. SSAR was represented by Carla Eager and Scott Wright. Scott was a presenter at the conference; Carla brought back some really great insight and ideas from the sessions she attended.
Rebecca Basset and Jon Dean led a workshop at the Canadian Association of Wilderness Medicine conference held in Penticton, BC, in October. In "HypoWrap Redux - Burrito Realities," patient realism was infused into mini scenarios based on real life potential for authenticity and buy in.
Several other SSAR members attended the conference and played the roles of moderate to severe hypothermic subjects. Participants were impressed by the acting skills of our members!
Several of our members (Dustin Cometa, Lavan Thirukketheesawaranathan, and Scott Wright) are also involved in SAR at provincial and national levels, as board and/or committee members of SARSAV (Search and Rescue Saskatchewan Association of Volunteers) and SARVAC (Search and Rescue Volunteer Association of Canada).
SPONSORS, DONORS, SUPPORTERS
It has always been our vision to be a sustainable charitable and volunteer organization with stable funding and an engaged membership.
Even with our commitment to activations, training, administration, and community outreach, this cannot be fully realized without external support from businesses, organizations, and people in the community who believe in what we do.
Thank you to the following businesses and organizations who supported Saskatoon Search and Rescue in 2023. Your generosity is what allows us to serve our community!
Saskatoon Police Service contributes an annual honorarium to help fund some of our training and equipment needs
Our equipment and vehicles stay warm in cold winters thanks to the Saskatoon Fire Department and the City of Saskatoon for providing office, garage, and storage space.
SARSAV (Search and Rescue Saskatchewan Association of Volunteers) provides instructor and management level courses, the opportunity to train and liaise with SAR teams from across the province, and seeks funding for other training and equipment needs for all Saskatchewan teams through the SAR New Initiatives Fund and other grant opportunities.
Saskatchewan Geospatial Imagery Collaborative continues to provide geospatial imagery for use with our mapping and search management technologies.
Our Wilderness First Responder and Rapid Response Teams were fully realized this year thanks to the combined generosity of several organizations who provided funding or in-kind services for training, radios, medical equipment to perform better patient diagnostics and a new responder bag for team use.
- Dakota Dunes Community Development Corporation
- Back40 First Aid Training
- Prairie Mobile Communications
With a significant donation from GFL Environmental, through their Full Circle Project, we were able to purchase 10 new Project Lifesaver transmitters.
This, along with an annual donation from the Saskatoon Police Association and many personal donations directed to Project Lifesaver, underscores the community's collective dedication to the success of the program and our ability to continue to offer the program free of charge.
SaskTel TelCare and Sasktel contributed to the purchase of five complete sets of near water search gear (helmets, PFD vests, and throw ropes) so we can ensure more of our members have the protective equipment needed when searching near high hazard rivers or lakes.
Shout out to Saskatoon Co-op for $200 in gift cards to restock our supplies in the truck. We keep things like water bottles and granola bars in the truck for instances where we have convergent volunteers or others who are in need.
Woody's RV World continues to help keep us safely on the road with annual trailer maintenance on both our command post and logistics trailer.
The Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival at the Broadway Theatre is our major fundraising event of the year and wouldn't be possible without generous sponsors, many of whom have donated every year since we started hosting it in 2018.
Presenting Sponsor: Uranium Energy Corporation
$1,500 Matching Sponsor: Grace Beyer, 1st Class Realty
Supporting Sponsors
* Back40 First Aid Training * Brainsport * Outter Limits * The Bike Doctor * Bruce's Cycle Works * Woody's RV World * Alpine Club of Canada - Saskatchewan Section * SaskEnergy * G3 Tech * The Prairie Summit Shop - Saskatoon * Martensville Veterinary Hospital * Back2Nature * Saskatoon Animal Control Agency * Eb's Source for Adventure * The Pathfinders Research and Management * Erika Quiring Environmental Consulting *
SAVE THE DATE of the next VIMFF, 7 pm, April 22, 2024, at the Broadway Theatre.
We also received numerous personal donations and, for the second year in a row, a substantial donation from an anonymous corporate sponsor. Many individuals also contributed to SSAR by donating their SARCAN refunds to our account (using account code "SSAR").
We are extremely grateful for each and every contribution!
BEYOND THE FIELD
SSAR's mission and vision cannot be realized through training and field work alone.
In addition to time spent on activations and training, members put in many hours on administration, logistics and maintenance, chapter and provincial level meetings, AdventureSmart programs, fundraising, and community events. We are very thankful for several support members who assist in important non-search and administrative roles.
In 2023, SSAR members collectively donated over 7500 hours of their time to support and provide search and rescue in Saskatchewan.
Thank you to all members who took on formal roles within the organization.
- President – Dean Dodge
- Vice President – Tony Weber
- Treasurer – Kate Dean
- Secretary – Mark Wells
- Training Director – Rebecca Basset
- Membership Director – Kate Badrock
- Communications Director – Carla Eager
- Logistics Director – Chuck Ingerman
- Fundraising Director – Sean Taylor
- Preventative SAR Director – Amy Holowach
- Project Lifesaver Director – Sherri Denis
- Director at Large - Chantal Di Placido
Thank you to our members who so generously provided photographs for this Year in Review. Sean Taylor, Carla Eager, Dustin Cometa, Jon Dean, Sherri Denis and Daryll Sewell.