Search And Rescue Operations

The purpose of this plan is to outline how provincial departments, the Department of National Defence, the Canadian Parks Service, police services, and non-governmental organizations will coordinate search and rescue operations. The plan describes how both ground and downed aircraft search and rescue operations are coordinated. Ground search and rescue is the responsibility of the pertinent police force, supported by volunteer ground search and rescue groups and government or private sector aircraft. Search and rescue of downed aircraft crews is the responsibility of the Department of National Defence, supported by volunteer air search organizations.

The two types of search and rescue operations are normally notified from different origins. Downed aircraft operations will normally be initiated by receipt of signals from Emergency Locator Beacons, reports of overdue aircraft arrivals, or witness' sightings. Ground search and rescue operations will normally be initiated by receipt of a signal from a Personal Locator Beacon, or by reports of overdue or missing individuals. In both types of operations, the immediate launch of search operations will increase the chances of finding individuals early and in good health. The plan includes a system to notify all involved agencies of the nature, location, and demands of an operation.

Search operations for downed aircraft will involve the Department of National Defence (lead agency), volunteer air search organizations, and possibly other aircraft from government or the private sector. Ground search and rescue operations will involve the relevant police force (lead agency), volunteer ground search and rescue groups, volunteer air search organizations, on occasion the Department of National Defence, and possibly other government or private sector aircraft.