* About PDF Documents

SAR New Initiatives Fund

Success Stories from NIF

Improving SAR through innovative projects

The following projects are supported by the Search and Rescue New Initiatives Fund:

• International Workshop on Avalanche Awareness and Forecasting
• Thermal protection in liferafts
• Marine Marker saves time during search
• Tactile suit for SAR Techs

International Workshop on Avalanche Awareness and Forecasting

With increased interest in backcountry winter activities, deaths from avalanches are continuing despite warning bulletins and weather forecasts.

On average, 11 avalanche fatalities per year have occurred in Canada over the last 33 years, with an increase to 16 per year over the last five years. The chances of surviving an avalanche are about 86 per cent.

Environment Canada, with funding from the SAR New Initiatives Fund, is developing an international workshop to build a better understanding of avalanches and methods used to predict them. A fundamental problem is the combination of complex terrain, uncertainties in forecasting weather conditions and the processes involved in the development and triggering of avalanche situations.

Workshop organizers hope to research avalanche processes and the monitoring networks, improve public education and develop information systems and rescue coordination strategies.

This one year project is the first step in opening lines of communication and setting priorities to reduce the number of fatalities associated with avalanches.

SN-0607-07-EC

Thermal protection in liferafts

After abandoning a ship, no one knows how long the wait in a liferaft may be. It could be minutes or hours and the longer the wait, the higher the chance that hypothermia will set in.

While the International Maritime Organization standards require inflatable liferaft components to provide insulation, there are no set criteria.

Transport Canada is working to develop standards for escape, evacuation and rescue in the marine environment in collaboration with the National Research Council’s Institute for Ocean Technology and Memorial University in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Funded by the SAR New Initiatives Fund, this project will assess the thermal protection requirements of liferaft occupants and will propose thermal protection performance criteria for liferafts.

Once the project is complete, the team will provide performance information to assist SAR planners in liferaft occupant survival prediction. Further, the team will support training efforts by identifying the necessary knowledge and skills to maximize the thermal protection performance of liferafts.

SN-0607-05-TC

Marine Marker saves time during search

While on scene during a search and rescue mission, responders must examine all objects, for example, debris from boats or aircraft. But while examining these, a responder will likely not know if these objects have been previously searched by someone else or even relate to this incident. This can waste valuable search time.

By developing a multi-application marine marker to identify previously searched SAR targets, resources could be put to use searching another target.

Similar to the self-locating datum marker buoy, the new marine marker is easily deployable, cost effective and able to withstand harsh environments.

The retrievable marker would be placed by SAR Techs and then detectable by other resources tasked to help in a mission.

This three-year, three-phase project developed by the Canadian Coast Guard and C-CORE, and funded the SAR New Initiatives Fund, will improve the efficiency and effectiveness of search operations by eliminating areas which have already been searched or are not applicable to a specific mission.

SN-0607-13-DFO

Tactile suit for SAR Techs

During a rescue operation over water, it is difficult for a pilot to keep the aircraft hovering over a survivor because of changing wind and water currents.

By developing a tactile orientation and navigation system within a garment worn by the pilot and crew, the Department of National Defence hopes to shorten rescue time, enhance hoisting operations and facilitate landings on moving vessels.

By using GPS technology, the system will be designed to provide hover cues and will indicate when the pilot needs to move up, down or to the side based on the location of the survivor and the assisting SAR Techs. The pilot and aircrew will wear a garment equipped with tactile sensors to direct the hover and movement. When the system or crew member realizes the aircraft is not in the correct location, the sensors in the garment will direct the pilot to make the necessary change in position.

The system will work independent of visual instruments, but is not designed to replace them or any cockpit communication.

SN-0607-09-DND

New Projects for Funding in 2007-08

The call for new projects for funding in 2007-08 was issued on June 9 with a submission deadline of September 15. A new NIF guide, manual and tools for assisting with applications have been posted on the Secretariat’s website at www.nss.gc.ca.

New Initiatives Fund partners meet in Ottawa

SAR New Initiatives Fund (NIF) coordinators in the federal, provincial and territorial agencies responsible for NIF projects attended a day and half training session to discuss the new rules and program requirements. Last year, no call letter for new projects was issued pending the implementation of changes to meet Treasury Board of Canada policies and the development of the renewed program.

The success of the training session has led to calls for similar events across the country and at SARSCENE 2006. NIF partners have identified some aspects of the program which will help refine the way it is managed.

NIF managers also visited Canadian Forces Base Trenton to tour the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre and Canadian Mission Control Centre.