Randy Klaassen – Training Officer CARES – CASARA Niagara ,

Topic:  “Civil Air Rescue Emergency Service (CASARA Niagara)

Local organization plays key role in search and rescue

Rudy Thiessen introduced guest speaker Randy Klaassen, who was accompanied by Rick Kaczkan, from the Civil Air Search and Rescue Association Niagara, (CARES–CASARA), which is based at the Niagara District Airport.

Randy’s topic was the Civil Air Rescue Emergency Service and its role in both air and ground search operations across Ontario. Randy and Rick brought their Yellow Cube Van (“The Pig”), their operations vehicle with radio comms, and extended an invitation to anyone interested to view their equipment.

Randy, who is a training officer with CARES Niagara, said the organization became operational in 1977. CARES Niagara is a founding member of CASARA National and is now part of a Canada-wide organization.

CASARA is a registered non-profit organization with community volunteers who are trained to professional standards in the many aspects of search and rescue. Randy reviewed their role in supporting Canada’s Search and Rescue (SAR) program and to promote aviation safety and SAR awareness.

SAR operations are conducted by various means of air and ground, visual and electronic search for missing aircraft, persons and vessels. Ground search activities (“ground homing”) are generally electronic searches for aircraft emergency location transmitters (ELTs) that are present on all commercial and private aircraft.

They support the RCAF in training and searches anywhere up to the Arctic as called upon. Their team comprises spotters who are trained “eyes in the sky” for visual and electronic searching, navigators who are skilled in search patterns and pilots who are trained for low-level SAR flying. They also have adopted Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (drones) that have a pilot and observer. They use software that identifies particular colours in photos such as blue objects in a forest. Generally, each member has 10 hours of ongoing training for each hour worked.

Training sessions are held September to June at the Niagara District Airport. Training covers a wide variety of topics including aviation safety, meteorology, first aid, navigation, survival techniques and search methods using visual and electronic skills. CASARA Ontario works with the Ontario Provincial Police, the Royal Canadian Air Force and the Canadian Coast Guard among others.

Randy, using a PowerPoint presentation, illustrated the difficulty of spotting a downed airplane in a densely wooded area even while flying at low heights.

CASARA is funded by the Department of National Defence and by community donations.  Randy pointed out that more information about the organization is available at www.casaraniagara.ca

Duncan McLaren thanked Randy for his most informative presentation on this critical aspect of Canadian aircraft safety.