Category: SSAR Training

November 26, 2016

Search is an Emergency

Written by Dale Liebrecht, SSAR Training Director With every moment that elapses, a search area gets exponentially larger. Our subject may be in distress and the minutes that expire are crucial to the mission. Saskatoon Search And Rescue has enormous technical capacity, but it is deployed at the expense of time. Our team will quickly and carefully decide which technical and non-technical assets to deploy. Once the decision is made, we respond safely with both speed and accuracy. Our last training days have focused on improving the process of setting up our command post and logistics/communications trailer. We made significant improvements...

Activations / Fundraising/Donations / Other Training / PSAR (Preventative Search and Rescue) / SSAR Training

January 1, 2016

2015 – A Year in Review

2015 was another very busy year for Saskatoon Search and Rescue. Here’s our year in review! Activations The Saskatoon Police Service (SPS) and RCMP requested our assistance for both urban and rural searches for missing persons. Missing Person Activations: 7 Standby Requests (Missing Persons): 3 These were missing person cases that involved those who are most vulnerable – very young children and persons, both young and elderly, with mental and/or physical health concerns. (See map at end of post for more information.) Saskatchewan Emergency Management and Fire Safety (EMFS) also requested our assistance with the northern fire situation and four of our members,...

SSAR Training

November 11, 2015

Reflections on SARVAC Workshop – Saskatoon

by Dale Liebrecht This past weekend I attended the National SARVAC Workshop in Saskatoon. As a new Saskatoon Search and Rescue (SSAR) recruit, I wasn’t sure what to expect. The weekend was filled with many engaging opportunities to meet with other volunteer SAR professionals across Canada. I experienced many moments of profound admiration for the organization as the conference evolved. One of the images etched into my mind was the quiet confident glow of our longtime outgoing National SARVAC president Harry Blackmore. I regret not sitting down and having a conversation with him. His demeanor was reminiscent of a man...

Activations / Fundraising/Donations / PSAR (Preventative Search and Rescue) / SSAR Training

January 1, 2015

2014 – A Year in Review

For Saskatoon Search and Rescue, 2014 has been an incredible year of growth. Building strong relationships, increasing membership, community support, valuable training and activations. We are riding into 2015 on a wave of enthusiasm generated by our members and support from our agencies of jurisdiction and our community! Activations We had a record number of requests for service in 2014 from the Saskatoon Police Service and RCMP. We were assigned a wide variety of tasks that included both urban and rural searches for missing persons and evidence searches. Missing Person Activations: 11 Standby Requests (Missing Persons): 5 Evidence Search...

Recruiting / SSAR Training

December 1, 2014

Basic Searcher Training Recap

Over the past four months, our group of new recruits, including myself, has been in basic searcher training, the first step in becoming an active member of Saskatoon Search & Rescue (SSAR). Between the classroom and the field exercises there was a ton of information to absorb. Here’s a recap of our journey: In September we camped out at Blackstrap and had a busy weekend of orienteering, constructing improvised shelters, fire making, signaling (at day and night), near-water search skills, and survival discussions. It was a great weekend of testing out new gear and getting some hands-on training in the...