Canada

[Divegoose]

For the majority of Canadian jurisdictions, the local police service provides "underwater recovery" services. They do not have "rescue" capabilities. In the western provinces, and the martimes, the RCMP "URT" (underwater recovery team) is called in the event of a drowning. In provinces without an URT, the local commercial diver is sometimes contracted to do recovery work (My LDS owner was also a commercial diver, and he called in a bunch of his divemasters when contracted to do a recovery).

In Ontario the OPP (Ontario Provincial Police) have a dive team, but again they do not have rescue capabilities. They respond after the fact, and do the recovery. Not sure how things are handled in Quebec.

The Calgary Fire Department has a great water rescue program, that includes divers trained by Dive Rescue International (I was fortunate to have the opportunity to train with them many years ago). They provide service within the City of Calgary, and have been called to locations outside the city to do recoveries.

There are some other teams, such as the Terrace Water Rescue Team in northern BC that do rescue and recovery work, but I belive they have to be tasked by the RCMP. I believe there is also a dive team in northern Alberta, but they would also have to be tasked by the RCMP to respond.

There are a lot of highly trained rescuers out there, who would love the opportunity to form a dive team, but those with jurisdiction will not let it happen.

If anyone has further information about dive rescue programs in Canada, please add to this thread.

Divegoose

 

[W W Meixner]

For the majority of Canadian jurisdictions, the local police service provides "underwater recovery" services. They do not have "rescue" capabilities. In the western provinces, and the martimes, the RCMP "URT" (underwater recovery team) is called in the event of a drowning. In provinces without an URT, the local commercial diver is sometimes contracted to do recovery work (My LDS owner was also a commercial diver, and he called in a bunch of his divemasters when contracted to do a recovery).

In Ontario the OPP (Ontario Provincial Police) have a dive team, but again they do not have rescue capabilities. They respond after the fact, and do the recovery. Not sure how things are handled in Quebec.

The Calgary Fire Department has a great water rescue program, that includes divers trained by Dive Rescue International (I was fortunate to have the opportunity to train with them many years ago). They provide service within the City of Calgary, and have been called to locations outside the city to do recoveries.

There are some other teams, such as the Terrace Water Rescue Team in northern BC that do rescue and recovery work, but I belive they have to be tasked by the RCMP. I believe there is also a dive team in northern Alberta, but they would also have to be tasked by the RCMP to respond.

There are a lot of highly trained rescuers out there, who would love the opportunity to form a dive team, but those with jurisdiction will not let it happen.

If anyone has further information about dive rescue programs in Canada, please add to this thread.

Divegoose

DG...

In direct response to your second to last paragraph...it has to do with liability of the Crown...

Being a former OHS Manager with the Ontario Ministry of Labour...a recovery other than a recovery by a law enforcement group...is part and parcel of allowances given to ''Commercial Divers''...

Provincial OHS legislation is very specific as to what a commercial diver is...and is not...and the reporting/filing/formal written dive plan for each and every commercial dive...Provincial OHS Inspectors have by legislation the ''right'' to visit for the purpose of inspection...to determine Legislative Compliance...every dive operation...as though it were a workplace...that's ''Commercial Dive Operation''...

A recreational diver is not by definition a ''worker''...a certified dive instructor...who is being ''paid'' is a worker...but is being covered by the ''Dive Shop''...as an employee of an ''Industrial Establishment''...by legislative definition...the students being trained are not workers as they are not being ''paid''...they are covered by personal health insurance...and the right to sue...

Further...Law Enforcement Groups...that perform in water ''recovery''...as well as the actual recovery...are there to determine...through their professional law enforcement training...and investigative skills...whether or not ''foul play'' was involved...as well as the gathering and preservation of ''evidence''...

There's a lot more involved than a recreational diver/divers/dive groups...being able to log another dive...

Read your Provincial OHS legislation...the books are available at any Provincial Government Book Store...you'll find the above narrative is the very short answer...

Hope this gives you some insight...

Warren

 

[Divegoose]

Totally understand the concerns about liability.

I am not advocating for recreational divers to perform search and rescue/recovery missions.

What I am saying is that there are a lot of highly trained rescuers out there. If they were properly trained in dive rescue, evidence recovery, crime scene investigation, etc, and could respond directly to an incident, then perhaps there may be more viable rescues, and fewer recoveries.

There are a number of recognized training agencies out there, such as Dive Rescue International, ERDI, and Team Lifeguard Systems that train dive rescue teams to respond safely and professionally.

Divegoose

 

[W W Meixner]

Totally understand the concerns about liability.

I am not advocating for recreational divers to perform search and rescue/recovery missions.

What I am saying is that there are a lot of highly trained rescuers out there. If they were properly trained in dive rescue, evidence recovery, crime scene investigation, etc, and could respond directly to an incident, then perhaps there may be more viable rescues, and fewer recoveries.

There are a number of recognized training agencies out there, such as Dive Rescue International, ERDI, and Team Lifeguard Systems that train dive rescue teams to respond safely and professionally.

Divegoose

Agreed...but...

Not to private citizen/recreational/sport divers...this training...and I'm talking about Canada only is for professionals...professional being...law enforcement...fire-fighters...professional medical responders...and military...

There may be some isolated circumstances where dive shops...with lots of equipment and resouces may be called upon...to lend assistance...but I believe it would be very rare...it never happened in the shop where I worked...and we were in the same town where the OPP Underwater Search and Rescue team is headquartered...

Remember...we partake in this ''sport'' for enjoyment/fun/pleasure/relaxation...being rescue trained is for us...intended to help a fellow diver in distress...we are not ''public life safety professionals''...

W...

 

[Ben_3]

In Quebec the only dive team is the Sûreté Du Québec (SQ). They are the provincial police. I think they do more recovery than actual rescues. Other than that maybe the Canadian army divers but I bet they would need a good reason to show up.
Some Quebec fire departments have ice and water rescue specialities but that doesn’t include underwater diving.

 

[Grey Goose]

Toronto police have a marine unit, which includes divers. Based out of Harbourfront. Did a tour of their facilities a few years back.

 

[rjack321]

What I am saying is that there are a lot of highly trained rescuers out there. If they were properly trained in dive rescue, evidence recovery, crime scene investigation, etc, and could respond directly to an incident, then perhaps there may be more viable rescues, and fewer recoveries.

Can you name a Canadian case where a fatality might have been a rescue if more or closer trained rescuers were around?

Brain damage occurs within 3 to 6 minutes of being OOA and/or drowning. Unless the victims are already at the surface, more trained divers isnt going to change any outcomes.

 

[Divegoose]

Can you name a Canadian case where a fatality might have been a rescue if more or closer trained rescuers were around?

Brain damage occurs within 3 to 6 minutes of being OOA and/or drowning. Unless the victims are already at the surface, more trained divers isnt going to change any outcomes.

Off the top of my head, no I can't, but then again I haven't been following drowning cases as closely as I used to.

Yes brain damage does occur within 3 to 6 minutes, but there are documented cases where someone has been submerged for a lengthy period of time in cold water, and brought back with little to no ill effects. The person was located and rescued within the golden hour because trained rescuers were available and responded

Many years ago I took dive rescue training with the Calgary Fire Department. One of the scenarios we had to respond to was a vehicle in the water, with possible occupant trapped. Upon arrival on scene we had a diver dressed and in the water in two minutes, and the vehicle occupant on shore within five minutes. Had it been a real incident the occupant would have had a fighting chance for survival.

Divegoose