Western Canada SAREX 2007

CASARA Sask is pleased to announce that on August 10th - 12th of 2007 Prince Albert will be hosting this years western regional SAREX or search and rescue exercise. The SAREX is high profile annual event within the Search and rescue community and is usually hosted by one of the four western Provinces or Territories. The SAREX brings together air search and rescue teams to hone their skills and techniques working within different geographic regions of Canada. The SAREX involves setting up various search scenarios for each team which can range from searching and homing in on ELT's, to looking for missing persons, aircraft wreckage and various land and water targets both during the day and night. The 2007 Saskatchewan SAREX should see up to approximately 15 aircraft and their crews and possibly an American team from the Civil Air Patrol (CAP).

If you are interested in joining please contact the CASARA unit nearest you, which can be found on our website at www.casarasask.ca.

Dean Martin as straight man

Digital vs Paper Maps for CASARA

Is Ozi Explorer and Search HQ a real alternative to paper maps, will this make us more efficient and help save lives? 'That others may live."

Canada shreds plan to scrap paper maps

Natural Resources Canada has decided to reverse an earlier decision to stop printing hardcopy maps.

CBC News Report: "Natural Resources Minister Gary Lunn announced that the Conservative government has yanked that plan off its course, and the map office will remain open. Kathleen Olson, a spokeswoman for Lunn, said Natural Resources Canada received a flood of letters protesting the planned closure. [...] She said paper maps are vital to many people, including researchers, emergency services personnel and outdoor enthusiasts."

History of SAR in Saskatchewan 1940-2006

CASARA National was launched under the umbrella of new SAR secretariate established by federal government in 1983 following the recommendation of Justice Charles Dublin in his report on aviation safety. SAR existed in Saskatchewan before that but under different organizations. Volunteer Regina pilot Ray Korpus was a member of SAR organization called SEMAD active in the1960s and 1970s, which stands for the "Saskatchewan Emergency Measures Air Division", a volunteer branch of the provincial government's Emergency Measures Organization. According to Ray it had a dual purpose: to launch air searches as needed and to provide aerial surveillance in times of disaster like floods he recalls. Training in those days consisted of lectures and studying diagrams at Saskatchewan EMO headquarters Regina located in the old General Motors administration building on Toronto Street west of old GM plant at 8th Avenue and Winnipeg Street. Search patterns were very simple, consisting of rectangles and occasional circles. Jim Feely was also a member of SEMAD during the 1960-70 we need to meet to gather his experiences. Tom Kerr from Weyburn oversaw the transition from SEMAD to CASARA in mid1980s becoming first zone commander.He said Zone 8 was much smaller in size as SEMAD going north only to Trans Canada Hiway. And before SEMAD, there was SCAD, which stood for "Saskatchewan Civil Air Defence". Not too much information exists about that group. Ray Korpus has some personal historic artifacts he saved from the era a SEMAD ballcap and SEMAD jacket Ray offered to make them available for digital photograph. A future project.
Courtesy of: Clarence Demchuk - Zone 8