OTTAWA, ON, Sept. 22, 2022 /CNW/ - As Canadians play, work, and explore outdoors, search and rescue personnel stand ready to respond when someone goes missing or is in distress. The Government of Canada is committed to supporting the search and rescue community by providing them with the tools and technology they need to best serve Canadians and ensure a seamless approach to operations across the country.
Today, on behalf of the Honourable Bill Blair, President of the Queen's Privy Council and Minister of Emergency Preparedness, Parliamentary Secretary Yasir Naqvi announced $1.4 million in funding for Counter Crisis Technology Inc. The funding, available through Public Safety Canada's Search and Rescue New Initiatives Fund, will support the development and implementation of a shared incident command system software solution for ground search and rescue volunteers and employees, including police services across the country.
The new system will improve ground search and rescue, building on existing technology to enhance coordination between search and rescue organizations, by supporting information, data and knowledge sharing between jurisdictions. It will deliver and support an integrated solution to police services across Canada, fostering mutual aid, cooperation, and improving disaster response capabilities and outcomes for Canadians.
"First responders and search and rescue volunteers work tirelessly to keep Canadians safe, and new technologies are critical to increasing their capacity to respond to emergencies. This project, supported by our Search and Rescue New Initiatives Fund, will improve ground search and rescue delivery and coordination across the country, and I look forward to seeing its positive impact on operations across Canada.
- The Honourable Bill Blair, President of the Queen's Privy Council and Minister of Emergency Preparedness
"Canada is the most beautiful country in the world, and many of us spend our free time exploring everything it has to offer. However, in the rare instances where Canadians need help when they are enjoying the outdoors, it's vitally important that our first responders and rescue workers have the resources they need to provide timely and effective help. Today's announcement marks another important step in ensuring that ground search and rescue volunteers and employees have the tools they need to keep people safe."
- Yasir Naqvi, Parliamentary Secretary to the President of the Queen's Privy Council and Minister of Emergency Preparedness and Member of Parliament for Ottawa Centre
- This three-year project involves the design and adaptation of software that will improve search and rescue outcomes, enhance interoperability, and foster mutual aid. It includes custom search and rescue applications, a Windows platform adaptation and will be available for download on phones, tablets and laptops.
- Public Safety Canada is committed to preventing search and rescue incidents by empowering Canadians to plan ahead for safer outdoor adventures. To this end, the department supports AdventureSmart, a national prevention program focused on those who participate in outdoor recreational activities.
SOURCE Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada
Annie Cullinan, Director of Communications, Office of the President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada and, Minister of Emergency Preparedness, [email protected]; Media Relations, Public Safety Canada, 613-991-0657, [email protected]
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