Into the great white north

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Heather Kelly
  • 920th Rescue Wing Public Affairs
PATRICK AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  Each year, the Canadian search and rescue community conducts an international exercise to develop rescue cooperation and cross-train in procedures and techniques in the event of a large-scale search and rescue operation. This year, members of the 920th Rescue Wing represented the United States in the event.

Held in September, the annual, week-long search and rescue exercise (SAReX) took place in Thunder Bay, Canada and involved eight segments in the air, land and sea.

"There were hundreds of people involved in this exercise," said Lt. Col. Dan Byers, an HC-130P/N navigator and the exercise coordinator. "Every search and rescue squadron in Canada participated."

Although the 920th has integrated with their Canadian counterparts before, this SAReX posed its own unique challenges for participants.

"Integrating us into a massive Canadian exercise was a challenge," Colonel Byers said. "We were doing things we've never done before. The crews adapted remarkably well."

Approximately 300 Canadian search-and-rescue personnel were on hand for the exercise. The 920th sent a full team of pararescuemen, aircrews, maintenance and support crews. A U.S. Coast Guard unit from Detroit, Mich., rounded out U.S. participation in the event.

Crews were challenged with para-accuracy jumps, search and rescue, helicopter and fixed-wing aerial maneuvers throughout the exercise.

Despite high winds and rapid weather changes, 920th crews placed high in a number of events, said Colonel Byers. "We've built a solid relationship with our Canadian search-and-rescue counterparts over the years," said Colonel Byers. "The feedback we've received has been extremely positive."