Saskatoon Search and Rescue

When people think about Search and Rescue, they often picture volunteers hiking through fields, river valleys, or pushing their way through dense bush. While that’s certainly part of the job, what people don’t often see is the coordination happening behind the scenes.

Every search depends on a steady flow of information. Where have teams searched? Has a new clue come in? Does the search area need to be expanded? Sharing that information quickly can make a significant difference.

During a couple of our recent searches in very rural areas, reliable cell service simply wasn’t available. That’s when the new Starlink system mounted on top of our SAR truck quietly proved its value. By providing satellite internet, it allowed the Search Manager and field teams to stay connected, sharing maps, GPS locations, assignments, and critical updates in real time, even miles from the nearest cell tower.

For our volunteers, it’s another tool that helps us work more efficiently and make informed decisions throughout a search.

Search and Rescue is about people, teamwork, training, and preparation. Sometimes it’s also about having the right technology in the right place at the right time.

Every improvement to our equipment helps us better serve the communities that count on us. Thank you to everyone who supports Saskatoon Search and Rescue and makes upgrades like this possible. 🧡

📷Joe S.

This past weekend, nine members of Saskatoon Search and Rescue joined more than 80 SAR members from Saskatchewan, Alberta, and Manitoba for a Multi-Jurisdictional Search Exercise, hosted by North Corman Park Search and Rescue in Warman.

Organized through Search and Rescue Saskatchewan Association of Volunteers (SARSAV), with an organizing committee made up of representatives from several SARSAV chapters, the exercise brought teams together to train, share knowledge, and strengthen our collective response capabilities.

Based around a simulated F3 tornado disaster, teams worked through a variety of realistic scenarios including sandbagging, triage, medical assessments, light urban search and rescue, landing zone operations, structural assessments, and an urban/rural search for two missing children.

Thanks to the support of Warman Fire Rescue and the local community, participants were able to use the fire hall for training, access homes under construction, and conduct simulated wellness checks with willing residents in areas affected by the “storm.”

The weekend also introduced elements of Search and Rescue Volunteer Association of Canada's Humanitarian Workforce and Disaster Assistance Response Training, while also highlighting the importance of responder wellness through a peer mental health debrief.

Exercises like MJSE strengthen the skills, relationships, and teamwork needed when communities face challenging emergencies. Thank you to North Corman Park SAR, SARSAV, the Warman community, and all participating organizations and teams for an outstanding weekend of learning and collaboration.



📷 Sean T., Daryll S., Henry L.