The National Search and Rescue Secretariat

The National Search and Rescue Secretariat (NSS) was established in 1986 by a Cabinet Decision to provide leadership to the National Search and Rescue Program (NSP).  The NSS is an independent portfolio organization reporting directly to the Minister of National Defence (MND) in his role as the Lead Minister for Search and Rescue (LMSAR). 

The principal responsibilities of the NSS as approved by Cabinet and the Treasury Board include establishing a national search and rescue (SAR) policy framework, co-ordinating Government-wide SAR annual planning and decision making procedures and reporting mechanisms, implementing a national SAR information system, defining SAR levels of service, co-ordinating the activities of the Interdepartmental Committee on Search and Rescue (ICSAR), representing Canadian interests at national and international SAR fora, representing Canadian interests on the International COSPAS-SARSAT Council and managing the Search and Rescue New Initiatives Fund (SARNIF).

Priorities and Focus Areas for fiscal year 2011-12

Enhancing national Ground SAR coordination and results

Although the Ground Search and Rescue Council of Canada (GSARCC) has been a valuable information-sharing and coordinating point for the National SAR Program and its members since 1997 – and is in fact the only such forum of its kind – its work must receive sufficient profile and support within the provincial and territorial domain to ensure it remains effective.  The adequacy of insurance coverage for ground SAR volunteers, which received renewed focus in 2009 after a fatal incident, is one example of the need to formally engage the appropriate decision-makers.  Recognizing that the majority of provincial and territorial SAR programs reside within emergency management portfolios, the Council approached the Senior Officials Responsible for Emergency Management forum (comprised of the 13 provinces and territories, and Public Safety Canada) to seek formal affiliation. This was accepted in mid-2010, and this relationship will be further developed in 2011-2012.  As federal SAR representative, the NSS will work with Public Safety Canada and the Council to formalize this link; and to ensure issues central to the practice and sustainability of ground and inland water SAR in Canada are brought to the appropriate decision-making levels.

Northern SAR Strategy

The NSS continues to search for ways in which to improve Northern SAR. Based on the positive results of a pilot session in Kuujjuaq, Nunavik in March 2010, the first official Northern roundtable was held in Yellowknife, North West Territories in late November 2010 with representation from all Northern governments and most federal SAR partners.  The outcome was positive; there is general support for a coordinated approach that recognizes the capabilities and resources of each partner based on existing capacity as a start point, but one that is still open to new opportunities for cooperation and collaboration as new opportunities arise. The issue of resources remains a challenging one, but we have laid the foundations for positive engagement in the future.

Principal activities planned for 2011-12 include the building on the foundations established in 2010 by convening a Northern SAR Roundtable in Nunavut. Seamlessness and interoperability are key elements in SAR capacity, so the NSS will be directly involved in the planning and evaluation of the CF led, multi-departmental Major Air/Marine Disaster exercise planned as a part of Op Nanook in August 2011.

With the Government of Canada’s Northern Strategy already well established, the NSS is generating a working paper/straw-man Northern SAR Strategy for review by the Ad hoc DM SAR Committee and LMSAR for potential integration into the broader GOC Northern Strategy.

SAR NIF

The SAR New Initiatives Fund (SAR NIF) is  a multiyear funding program which, in partnership with other federal, provincial and territorial organizations, provides annual funding for new projects (or initiatives) that support the National Search and Rescue Program (NSP). The approved projects must address at least one of the five NSP priorities. 

During the 2011/2012 fiscal year, the SAR NIF will be holding meetings and consultations with its stakeholders in order to improve the efficiency of the application and the evaluation process. This will include a review of all SAR NIF forms, documentation and certain processes and timelines.

In order to promote the SAR NIF an annual Call for Proposals will be issued to solicit new applications for funding and information/training sessions will be held for volunteer associations from across Canada to provide them with sufficient information and education to enable them to submit sound and valuable proposals. Once proposals are received, they will be evaluated against the program criteria and evaluated based on their merit pertaining to SAR.

To ensure efficient and sound management of the SAR NIF, staffing initiatives will be undertaken in order to staff all positions on an indeterminate basis.

A data base will be developed to house current and past project information which will enable the SAR NIF to meet the needs of our stakeholders and clients and to help respond to corporate reporting requirements.

Renewal of NSS Website

The NSS will be updating its website to meet the new common look and feel standards established by Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS). The updated website will be user friendly and provide Canadians with information regarding the NSS, the National SAR Program and search and rescue related activities in Canada. The NSS is presently working with ADM Mat on the procurement and contracting process.  The renewal of the NSS website will be completed in FY11-12.

COSPAS-SARSAT

The NSS represents Canada as the head of delegation to the C-S programme and provides the coordinating role in the development of Canadian positions and papers for introduction into the C-S meetings. This includes maintaining Canada’s leadership role as a Party to the programme and a space segment provider.

In meeting Canada’s obligation to the International C-S Programme Agreement (ICSPA), the NSS shares with ADM IM and the Communications Research Centre Canada the project management function in a number of ongoing initiatives.

Over the next year and beyond, these projects will include:

• the provision of two search and rescue repeaters (SARRs) for deployment on low-earth orbit SAR satellites (LEOSAR);
• the research to support the next generation mid-earth orbit SAR satellite (MEOSAR) Implementation Plan (MIP). This will focus on the demonstration and evaluation phase of the MIP; and
• the defining of next generation 406 MHz beacon requirements as required by the Beacon Implementation Plan.

National Beacon Awareness Strategy

Currently in year four of a five-year program, the campaign continues to focus on educating the aviation community about the switch to 406 and the importance of beacon registration.  In addition, the campaign has shifted to encompass education and awareness about personal locator beacons (PLBs) and emergency position indicating radio beacons (EPIRBs).   The focus is on educating the general public and the outdoor enthusiasts about distress alerting and making informed choices about the different types of distress alerting technologies available in Canada, paying particular attention to their strengths and weaknesses and the typical SAR response (air, marine, ground). English and French fact sheets and the ELT Survivability Study were posted on the NSS Web site, and English and French campaign materials were assembled on a CDROM and distributed to CF SAR units, CASARA units, flying schools and clubs.  Other products that were created are aviation navigational plotters, ground to air signal cards, Myths and Realities pamphlets geared towards the aviation audience, campaign awareness and education banner stands, and Canadian Beacon Registry promotional banner stands.

National Prevention Strategy

Investing in SAR prevention activities may be the most effective and economical way to save lives by changing behaviour, mitigating risk and informing decision making by the general public.  A National SAR Prevention Strategy combines broad public awareness of key safety messages, through both an online and on-site approach to reach the widest audience with targeted outreach utilizing volunteers and peer interaction to reach “at risk” populations.  This focus, driven by an evidence based approach through data exploitation will help ensure sound management and relevancy of the National Prevention Strategy.  In 2011/2012, efforts will be made to ensure the sustainability of the National Prevention Strategy and to build upon and expand prevention education in the aeronautical and maritime domains.

Financial Resources

Source: The National Search and Rescue Secretariat / Assistant Deputy Minister (Finance and Corporate Services) Group

* Due to rounding, figures may not add up to totals shown 

Notes:

1. The above figures are net of approved transfers to other government departments and to other Department of National Defence organizations for Search and Rescue New Initiatives Funds (SAR NIF) projects: $4,102K for 2010-2011 and $946K for 2011-12. Approximately $4,100K in Vote 5 is available annually, for transfers. The increase in planned spending in 2011-12 and onward is due to termination of the Search and Rescue New Initiatives Fund (SAR NIF) contribution program. Once the program is renewed, funds will be reallocated to the Vote 10 funding.    
   
    
2. 2010-11 includes $4,000K for contributions in support of the SAR NIF and a $190K contribution as Canada's share of the costs for the "Cosmicheskaya Sistyema Poiska Avariynich Sudov"-"Search and Rescue Satellite-Aided Tracking" (COSPAS-SARSAT) Secretariat. COSPAS-SARSAT contribution program renewal will be sought for continuous funding resuming in 2011-12.

Human Resources

Source: The National Search and Rescue Secretariat

Notes:

1. The above figures are net of approved transfers to other government departments and to other Department of National Defence organizations for Search and Rescue New Initiatives Funds (SAR NIF) projects: $4,102K for 2010-2011 and $946K for 2011-12. Approximately $4,100K in Vote 5 is available annually, for transfers. The increase in funding in 2011-12 and onward is due to termination of the Search and Rescue New Initiatives Fund (SAR NIF) contribution program. Once the program is renewed, funds will be reallocated to the Vote 10 funding.     
   
   
2. 2010-11 includes $4,000K for contributions in support of the SAR NIF and a $190K contribution as Canada's share of the costs for the "Cosmicheskaya Sistyema Poiska Avariynich Sudov"-"Search and Rescue Satellite-Aided Tracking" (COSPAS-SARSAT) Secretariat. COSPAS-SARSAT contribution program renewal will be sought for continuous funding resuming in 2011-12.