Darrell Greer
Northern News Services

NNSL (Dec 23/98) - The need for funding and formalized training were two of the top issues identified during the Kivalliq Region's Search and Rescue (SAR) Workshop held at Leo Ussak school in Rankin Inlet from Dec. 15-17.

The workshop heard from community SAR representatives from across the Keewatin as well as spokespersons from the RCMP, DND, emergency services (MACA), Canadian Coast Guard and the GNWT.

Donat Milarjok, a SAR committee spokesperson from Repulse Bay, said there has to be clear communication between the various community SAR committees and organizations such as the RCMP.

He said there is an immediate need for community SAR funding and training.

"If I should find someone who is freezing to death, I don't know how I would deal with the situation," said Milarjok. "These are things we have to be educated on -- hypothermia, CPR, the proper way to save people this is what we are requesting.

"How to we get help, people to train us? We don't have equipment such as flares and other items needed during search and rescue. In the communities, SAR committees have a hard time raising funds."

Many of the committee representatives voiced concerns over having to use their own equipment snowmobiles, boats, etc. to conduct SAR operations and the cost of repairing personal equipment damaged during such operations. The belief that the RCMP required a 24 to 48-hour waiting period before responding to a SAR call was also discussed.

RCMP Sgt. Mark Hennigar said the notion of a "set waiting period" before police would respond to a SAR request was totally unfounded.

"Any 48-hour waiting period is news to me," Hennigar told the gathering. "It doesn't exist in any written policy I'm aware of. Each case is different, but it's, fundamentally, the RCMP's duty to determine the seriousness of the situation on a case-by-case basis.

"We really rely on the SAR committees. You know the land and you have the knowledge. On a day like this, for example, there's no way I'm going to pretend I could go out there and find somebody. You guys would be out there looking for me. I can't stress enough the importance of the SAR committees."

Harry Towtongie, workshop chairperson and Kivalliq Inuit Association board member, said the focus of the workshop was to better understand exactly where the community SAR committees stand in the overall picture of Northern search and rescue and to hear the concerns of the various communities.

"We use our own equipment, with no insurance, for these operations," said Towtongie. "We're out there risking our lives to save the lives of others. Are there people out there who are being paid who should be doing this work for us?

"We also will be using this opportunity to feature demonstrations by some of our elders on things like building a shelter while out on the land and other aspects of SAR. We need to better co-ordinate our community SAR people and we want to develop some sort of criteria, proper information for people on things like the proper gear to take while on the land hunting."