York Regional Police have effective search and rescue unit
By Jon Yaneff

Ryan Sheridan, of the York Regional Police's search and rescue unit, participates in the annual requalification training, which took place last week at Cold Creek. Selected members of York Regional Police are trained in All-train vehicle (ATV) operations such as the one Sheridan is riding. Photo by Jon Yaneff

Since anything can happen at any time, police have to be prepared.

The York Regional Police search and rescue unit (SRU) has worked to become one of the largest and best-trained police search and rescue units in North America since it was formed in 2000.

SRU is comprised of 125 to 150 trained ground search officers, 12 search commanders/ team leaders who mentor officers, which are directed on search missions by six experienced search commanders.

The annual requalification for SRU recently took place at the Coldcreek Conservation Area (on the 11th Concession in King), as various media had the chance to participate.

Officers took part in a skills competition consisting of teams moving through six stations where they were tested on evidence gathering, navigation, first aid, Project Lifesaver, team building and search procedures. This annual requalification is similar to the SAR (search and rescue) games, in which York Regional Police competed three years ago in Gatineau, QC.

"What we did is took a similar platform and established a number of different sites where officers have to transition and are tested through the various stations, as they are graded on their performance as well as time," said Sgt. John Loughry. "The teams are presented with a missing person scenario and they have to formulate a plan, execute it through the course of the day."

Each station had a different test. Such as station 1 had a written exam, station 2 involved navigation, station 3 was first aid test, Project Lifesaver was station 4, station 5 was an evidence search and station 6 was a team building exercise.

Project Lifesaver is a program for vulnerable people, be it children with autism or Alzheimer's patients suffering from dementia who wouldn't have the ability to recover from being lost or would have the tendency to wander.

"One of the things we see with Alzheimer's is the need and compulsion to leave their residence," stated Loughry. "It's certainly unexplained, but it poses as a significant hazard because the person is incapable of returning to safety, so those people would enter the program. These people are screened for the program and they're equipped with a radio transmitter, which transmits on a set frequency."

"In the event they would go missing, police are contacted and we can activate our Project Lifesaver antennae and then utilize that to track that person and return them to safety," he added.

During the Project Lifesaver station scenario there would be four different frequencies, which in the real world would represent four different people. The officers would have to assemble the antennae, formulate a plan then respond to find those four different spots.

The first aid scenario required a medical response under the scrutiny of York Region EMS, as the officers would attend to a mannequin and deliver first aid. They made sure the EMS had the proper foundation. They also received a written exam, which went over basic first aid.

Evidence search is a coordinated event with a team leader, as items or clues have to be found that are part of an investigation.

"The teams would organize their strategy, graded on how well they recover the items then they transition to navigation where they travel on a certain bearing for a certain distance," said Loughry. "They are expected to find a marker and it's on the course of 600 metres, so it's not GPS driven."

The team building operation opened the lines of communication, as the team leader has to give specific directions and the officers within the group have to complete the task successfully.

SRU uses emergency supply trucks and trailer that act as a home base for their training operations.

"These provide ground searchers with water and food the opportunity to recharge and keep the portable radios recharged as well," said Loughry. "You never know what kind of equipment you're going to need during a search operation, where it be a medical stretcher, ropes, flashlights or lanterns. We are also starting to utilize all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) more, though not necessarily in a traditional search application, but to transfer resources in and around the search area and also to clear gravel roads and ditches."

There was also training in ice rescue, advanced wilderness/ tactical medical training, as well as GPS.