Marine rescuers sharpened their skills in intense, adrenaline-filled drills off Victoria’s waters this weekend, offering Victoria News a firsthand look at the action.
About 30 volunteer crew members from Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue (RCMSAR) stations in Sooke, Victoria, and Oak Bay took part in a Search and Rescue Exercise (SAREX) on Feb. 2, at the Esquimalt Angler Association boat launch.
The training was designed to maintain high standards across all teams and improve coordination during real emergencies.
Throughout the days, crews from different stations rotated through four challenging rescue scenarios aboard their SAR vessels, with no advance details provided to simulate real-life conditions.
Each scenario, lasting 15 minutes to an hour, began with a team briefing, during which coxswains – comparable to crew leaders – received and shared instructions. The team then determined a plan of action and executed it. Once back, to the dock, leaders evaluated their crew’s performance and provided key takeaways.
Victoria News joined the Oak Bay team to experience firsthand what the rescue teams go through.
“We were tasked with conducting a shoreline search from Glimpse Reef to Finlayson Point in the mile 0 Dallas Road area for a patient suspected of dementia who was walking along the shoreline,” said crew member Jonathan Horvatin. “We conducted the shoreline search, located the victim, went ashore, and conducted a health assessment with them.
“When we arrived on the scene, we had radio for emergency health services, and they arrived shortly after and took control of the patient. Then we returned to base.”
Typically covering an area from James Island near Sidney in the north to James Bay in the south, Horvatin said training exercises like these are crucial for the team to maintain their skills in preparation for potential real-life rescue missions.
“It's a great thing for us to be practicing,” said Horvatin. “The opportunity for joint training like this with other units within our organization is great.
“Managing radio communications when you have five vessels all communicating with one station is excellent practice for real events where you might have different agencies.”
