VIDEO: Simulated air crash sharpens search and rescue skills

Sault Ste. Marie has proven to be a perfect location for a week-long search and rescue (SAR) operation, says the commanding officer of the air force squadron leading the exercise.

The Canadian Airforce’s 424 (Transport and Rescue) Squadron, based at CFB Trenton, conduct their annual TIGEREX exercise in a different location every year.

Lieutenant-Colonel Dany Poitras, commanding officer of 424 Squadron, said the exercise is a great opportunity to include their SAR partners to ensure everyone is ‘speaking the same language.’

“We train every day as a unit. When we are not tasked on a mission we train, that is what we do for a living,” said Poitras.

The squadron sent 93 members of 424, including their Search and Rescue Technicians (SAR Techs), supported by two CC130H Hercules aircraft and three Griffon helicopters.

The exercise includes participation from other search and rescue agencies, as well as the Canadian and U.S. Coast Guards, Sault Search and Rescue, RCMP, OPP, local fire departments and Sault Area Hospital.

At the end of one scenario, SAR Techs handed a mock victim directly to a doctor at the local hospital.

”On a normal day we cannot achieve that level of detail, it takes a lot of coordination,” said Poitras.

The squadron operates in the central region, from the Rocky Mountains in the west to Quebec City in the east and from the Great Lakes to the Arctic.

Sgt. Aaron Bygrove, lead SAR Tech with 424 Squadron, said his unit is available on 30 minutes notice.

“We can be expected to be deployed anywhere in [the central region] any time during the year. If there is a situation that dictates, and we can be there quickly, we will be helping out our other units in their regions,” said Bygrove.

Wednesday’s simulated air crash at Seachmont Resort was one of 24 scenarios conducted throughout the week.

“In this scenario we want to put people without experience into difficult jobs. We want them to make mistakes, we want them to learn from them, we want to develop experience. That is what this exercise is all about,” said Bygrove.

He said the intention of the training exercises will be to eventually replace himself as head SAR Tech.

“The team leaders want to make the team members into team leaders and everyone has to progress. Someone needs to take over for me, that’s something the military does really well,” said Bygrove.

Poitras said on the squadron’s end, the cost of the operation is about $65,000, not including fuel.

“We don’t include that in the operation because the same hours would be flown on any given training day. It’s a really good bang for the buck if you think about the number of people getting quite a bit of training out of it,” he said.