Coast Guard trains next generation of potential rescuers

The Canadian Coast Guard has been busy with its annual 'Inshore Rescue Boat' student program.

The Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) has been busy the last few weeks with its annual Inshore Rescue Boat student program, training post-secondary students who are looking to spend their summer helping keep waterways safe across the country.

The Parry Sound base is one of the seven delivering the program this month and has been training 40 selected recruits who will enhance the CCG’s existing search and rescue operations.

“This program allows us to provide that search and rescue service in areas where, maybe we can’t necessarily fulfill that throughout the entire year, or throughout the season,” explained Kathleen Getty, CCG search and rescue deputy superintendent.

The trainees have been learning how to reach vessels that are caught in treacherous conditions and techniques for responding to a wide variety of emergencies.

Graham Silcox, CCG senior search and rescue training officer, led Friday’s training session and listed some examples.

“How to provide proper first aid care and extrication to shore,” said Graham Silcox,. “How to de-water a vessel that could be sinking, as well as how to rescue people from the water if they do go overboard or if their vessel were to sink.”

Julia Caswell, a CCG trainee from Huntsville, responded to a simulated medical emergency involving cardiac arrest alongside Mitchell Sanderson, a CCG coxswain. “We have a really important job out there and people really depend on us,” said Caswell. “Training is the only way that we’ll be able to successfully save some lives.”

“In real life, it’s pretty scary, pretty daunting,” added Sanderson. “But we do a lot of training to be able to keep your nerves under control and approach it with a sense of confidence and security.”

The Coast Guard estimates that its rescuers save nearly 6,000 Canadians each year, and that 10 per cent of Inshore Rescue Boat trainees eventually go on to have future careers with the CCG.

The trainees will be deployed for two weeks on, two weeks off throughout the summer.