2017.5 the Provision of a Heavy Urban Search and Rescue (HUSAR) team

(Adopted at the 2017 Annual General Meeting)

Preamble

2017.5.1 The provision of a Heavy Urban Search and Rescue (HUSAR) team capabilities is vital to the public safety across Canada.

2017.5.2 It is imperative that Canadian network of HUSAR teams be available for immediate deployment on a local, Provincial, Territorial, National and International basis without delay.

2017.5.3 At present, Canadian HUSAR teams are not presently International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG) qualified.

2017.5.4 At present, Canadian HUSAR teams do not have National deployment agreements in place in the same manner that Forest Fire suppression teams do.

2017.5.5 The absence of these pre-established National deployment agreements would result in significant delays in Canadian HUSAR teams being able to deploy to emergencies on a National or International basis.

2017.5.6 The recent hurricane and earthquake events clearly demonstrate the critical need for Canadian HUSAR resources that are able to deploy both across Canada and Internationally without delay or issue.

Recommendation

2017.5.7 That the CAFC petition Public Safety Canada to implement the necessary Natioanl Deployment Agreements with each of the Canadian HUSAR teams as an urgent matter of National Public Safety.

2017.5.8 That the CAFC petition Public Safety Canada to facilitate INSARAG qualification for each of the Canadian HUSAR teams as an urgent matter of public safety.

2017.5.9 That the CAFC petition Public Safety Canada to allocate the funding required to deploy Canadian HUSAR teams to International disasters such that the experience level of the Canadian HUSAR teams remains very high as such that Canadian HUSAR teams can assist in saving lives during time of disaster.

2017.5.10 That the CAFC petition Public Safety Canada to make the continuing support of Canadian HUSAR teams a top National Public Safety Priority.

Status in 2021:

Discussion: 

Following this resolution, CAFC and the HUSAR teams, met with Public Safety Canada to advance this resolution. The HUSAR teams meet regularly with Public Safety Canada. CAFC is not usually in attendance. 

Public Safety Canada staff indicated it was their intention to work with the country’s HUSAR teams to promote the standards of INSARAG qualification. While they did not commit to achieving accreditation, they felt that working towards INSARAG standards would promote interoperability between the teams domestically.

Over the course of the pandemic, HUSAR teams could not be deployed across jurisdictions because of the pandemic measures. The issue was not further advanced during this period.

When the earthquake in Syria and Turkey took place, several media outlets contacted the CAFC on whether or not HUSAR teams would be deployed. Public Safety Canada was advised as well as the respective fire departments.

CCFMFC has since indicated that it is working on this issue. CAFC members have advised that until the provinces organize on this issue, there is little that the CAFC and the Federal Government can do.