Communities eye search and rescue units
Darrell Greer
Northern News Services
Rankin Inlet (Dec 06/00) - Rankin Inlet may be better equipped to save lives in the new year.
Eric Doig wants the hamlet to have its own Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary Unit.
Doig, the manager for the Nunavut Emergency Management branch of the Department of Community Government and Transportation, and director for the Nunavut Region of the Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary, made a presentation to hamlet council recently about the benefits of having a unit in Rankin.
It would mean marine search and rescue (SAR) members in Rankin could be better trained, organized, reimbursed and insured.
And a marine environment search would also be improved and more structured.
"We give a lot of SAR training in connection with the auxiliary program," says Doig. "It's also the only program to offer reimbursement for the use of private vessels in a marine search."
The Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary is made up entirely of volunteers, their vessels and equipment.
The program will reimburse volunteers up to $110 an hour for the use of their vessel. A special insurance policy for a community unit covers all vessels during a search.
Units are affiliated with the Canadian Coast Guard and the Department of National Defence and their rescue co-ordination centres in Toronto and Halifax.
In addition to Rankin, Doig says the coast guard is looking at developing up to 15 communities during the next three years, and is hoping to have at least five up and running by next year.
"Arviat and Whale Cove have also expressed interest. For Rankin, once I receive a formal letter from council saying they've agreed on having the unit, I'll put all my resources into place to have the community ready next year."
