On location at 4 Wing Cold Lake for Ground Search and Rescue and winter survival training

Video / February 17, 2020

Transcript

(Shelley Van Hoof) We’re here on location at 4 Wing Cold Lake in Alberta where members of the Ground Search and Rescue team are participating in winter survival training.

I’m joined by Ground Search and Rescue Technician and Deputy Officer Commanding the exercise, Sergeant John McArthur.

Thanks so much for having us!

Which base personnel are taking part in this training and what does it involve?

(Sgt) We have the Ground Search and Rescue team here on location training. It’s a secondary duty on the wing, so they all have primary duties. They come from all trades, all MOCs (Maintenance of Certifications) across the military but here posted to 4 Wing. And they volunteer. It’s completely volunteer. And the exercise is cold weather survival training so it’s to have people learn how to survive in this cold. It’s obviously minus twenty seven right now, so it’s quite cold. It’s actually a good test of their skills and ability.

(SVH) What exactly is in the kit and, you know, what are we going to see here today on the exercise?

(Sgt)Well, what’s in the kit? That’s a big question, but there’s a lot of equipment inside of it that would be to sustain life. At the end of the day, that’s what that equipment is for. So, for example, we used to use a larger saw but now they’re going to use the hand chainsaw in the kit. They’re going to have a smaller container for hydration so in that twenty four hour period when the students come out and go through the training, it’s going to be a more realistic sense.

(SVH) Thanks so much for your time.

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