page_title: Canadian Armed Forces Search and Rescue
section_title: Resources
hierarchical_section_title: Canadian Armed Forces Search and Rescue / Resources
caption_attribution_description: English: A Canadian CH-118 Iroquois helicopter (118103) from 417 Squadron (CFB Cold Lake) in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, January 8, 1992.
context_page_description: Canadian Armed Forces Search and Rescue is the collective name used to refer to search and rescue resources and operations within the Canadian Armed Forces. CAFSAR is currently the responsibility of the Royal Canadian Air Force.
context_section_description: Canadian Forces search and rescue resources are mostly in the form of squadrons of dedicated SAR aircraft located at bases across the country supported by 750 personnel, which includes ground crew, air crew, and 150 Search and Rescue Technicians (SAR Techs). CF SAR operations occasionally provide assistance to civilian agencies which lack the resources and equipment to conduct a large scale SAR operation.
  Search and Rescue technicians (SAR Techs)
  Search and Rescue technicians are advanced trauma life support pararescue specialists trained in military freefall, diving, mountaineering, rappeling, wilderness survival in extreme conditions, hoist rescue operations and various other rescue-related tasks, such as securing landing zones/drop zones or leading mountain rescue operations in coordination with civilian agencies and volunteer organizations. After a two-week selection period, SAR Techs undergo 11 months of initial training at the Canadian Forces School of Search and Rescue, based at 19 Wing Comox in British Columbia.
  Squadrons
  103 Search and Rescue Squadron - 9 Wing Gander
  413 Transport and Rescue Squadron - 14 Wing Greenwood
  424 Transport and Rescue Squadron -  8 Wing Trenton
  435 Transport and Rescue Squadron - 17 Wing Winnipeg
  442 Transport and Rescue Squadron - 19 Wing Comox
  Equipment
  CH-149 Cormorant, land-based SAR helicopter
  CH-146 Griffon, land-based SAR helicopter
  CC-130 Hercules, transport and rescue (long-range)
  CC-115 Buffalo, transport and rescue
  Additional resources available for SAR include:
  CC-138 Twin Otter, primarily transport aircraft. The Twin Otters often participate in Arctic SAR missions because they are the only RCAF aircraft permanently based in Northern Canada.
  CP-140 Aurora, anti-submarine/marine reconnaissance fixed wing (sometimes used to assist search and rescue in marine operations).
  Retired aircraft (1968–present):
  CH-113 Labrador, helicopter (replaced by CH-149 Cormorant)
  CH-118 Iroquois, land based SAR helicopter (replaced by CH-146 Griffon)
  Vertol Model H-21B or Vertol Model 44A (Royal Canadian Air Force)
  Grumman SA-16 Albatross (Royal Canadian Air Force)
  Consolidated PBY Canso (Royal Canadian Air Force)
  C-47 Dakota (Royal Canadian Air Force)
  Sikorsky S-55 (Royal Canadian Navy)
  CH-124 Sea King, anti-submarine/multimission helicopter
caption: CH-118 Iroquois helicopter from CFB Cold Lake in the mountains of British Columbia.
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