SBO-OVSAR is a federally incorporated, charitable, volunteer-based search and rescue organization serving the Outaouais and Eastern Ontario regions. Our mission is to assist individuals and communities by providing quality search and rescue and search management services; public education programs to help people enjoy the outdoors safely; and assistance to communities during emergencies.

SBO-OVSAR assists police forces and municipalities in the Outaouais and Eastern Ontario regions. However, we sometime go further afield if police, other search teams or communities need our services.

While some of our searching is in urban areas, most occurs in rural, forested or remote environments.

The number of searches is highly variable. In one year we could have only a few, while in another year we could have over a dozen. Some searches take several hours while others will occur over several days.

The police service in a specific jurisdiction is responsible for ground searches. When they are alerted and need support, they contact SBO-OVSAR. We have partnered with Versature for them to provide a sophisticated telephone system for emergency contacts from the police, and conference calling to facilitate dispatch on callouts. Because the police forces have the legal authority, SBO-OVSAR only responds to police request for assistance, not requests coming directly from the public. For emergency situations, municipalities have responsibility and will call upon the team to assist.

Our members include public and private sectors employees, students, retirees, firefighters and military personnel, in short, people from all walks of life.

Some members bring specialized skills or experience to the group but most are individuals who like the outdoors and have a strong desire to help others. Our members learn many new skills through the training and practice provided, which makes membership in a search and rescue group attractive.

We expect members to be active within the organization, and not just looking to add to their resume.

Currently we have over 200 members, of which over 110 are trained to search and are operationally ready.

We are always looking for new members.

All of our members are volunteers, including our Board of Directors, search managers, instructors and specialty team members.

All prospective members must submit an application form detailing any related experience. Application forms can be downloaded from the “Join the Team” section of the website.

To become operational, members must also:

  • get a Police Records Check for Service with the Vulnerable Sector
  • pass the Basic Search and Rescue Skills course, including a number of written and practical tests.
  • have a valid Standard First Aid and CPR-C certification.

We are a district/region in each of the Quebec and Ontario provincial ground search and rescue (GSAR) associations (AQBRS and OSARVA respectively). There are other GSAR teams in these areas or in neighbouring districts/regions and we provide aid to these teams in either province if they are in need of more people, especially as their members get tired in extended searches. We have also taken advantage of similar support from other teams many times, especially during the Ottawa River floods and the Dunrobin tornado cleanup.

SBO-OVSAR also participates in regional training exercises; and takes part in information sharing amongst the provincial associations and other GSAR teams.

When we are contacted by a tasking agency to assist in a search or an emergency measures response, an assessment is completed of the specific task, duration and capacity needed/available to respond. It typically isn’t immediately clear if multiple days (additional operational periods) will be needed. The SBO-OVSAR Incident Management Team (IMT) member liaising with the tasking agency will make an assessment later on in a current operational period if another is needed. As a result, it is often only later in the day that it is known if an additional day’s effort will be needed.

In these cases, there will often be a general call out to members for the next operational period asking for an immediate response for availability (e.g. during the evening for rendez-vous the following morning).

When we are asked to be involved in multi-day operations, an IMT member working with dispatch will decide how to assign members based on the anticipated duration of the event, the demands, responsibilities and members’ availability. This is especially necessary in large-scale disaster responses that typically extend over many days, e.g. floods on the Ottawa River.

In these cases, dispatch will often post operational periods ahead of time in D4H, especially once things settle down a bit after the typically more dynamic first few days, and asking members to indicate availability in advance. This allows for the IMT to plan assignments and provide advance information to tasking agencies based on expected numbers. It also supports you as members in making it easier to pace yourself and to ask for leave or make other personal arrangements when needed.

In all of these cases, it is very important that you advise dispatch of your availability at the earliest opportunity after the call-out is issued. Also, when you have indicated an intention to respond you need to follow through on that commitment or if necessary to provide as much advance notice as possible when availability changes.

We do practice low-angle rescues and provide instruction regarding relevant knots that you should learn. Low-angle is typically defined as angles between 15 and 30 degrees where the rescuers’ weight is entirely supported by the ground and ropes are only used for backup.

We do not provide the more specialized medium or high-angle rope-assisted rescue resources/services. There are a number of reasons why we have decided it doesn’t make sense to develop this capability, including the low demand for this type of rescue in our area; the time and cost associated with certification, recertification and ongoing training; and the cost of the specialized gear.

Generally speaking, you are expected to arrive at searches or other incidents ready to provide for any food and water you need for yourself for the expected search duration, up to 24 hours.

In many cases, tasking agencies will provide meals and beverages, but this is not guaranteed and should not be counted on.

For certain search incidents in Quebec, there is a process for reimbursement for travel, including mileage, meals and accommodation. Information on the claim process for these expenditures is provided at the time of the incident. Expenses are not usually covered for searches anywhere in Ontario.

The safety of our members, both physical and psychological is the first priority of SBO-OVSAR. Within the group, we have established a Psychological Health and Safety (PH&S) Committee. This Committee has developed a PH&S handbook which is available to members on our incident and training management platform D4H.

During incidents, whenever possible, we encourage members to self-select out of potentially difficult circumstances. We want to make it clear that there is no expectation to try to tough something through, considering that we are all in a different circumstance on any given day and that the most important person to look out for during an incident is yourself and your own safety. In cases where members are exposed to potentially difficult sights or information during an incident, members of the overhead team, team leaders, or members of the PH&S Committee will follow up with all affected members immediately and also in the days following the incident.

There is normally no waiting period following completion of the Basic Search and Rescue (BSAR) Course (or in some cases even before completing this) for new members to indicate interest in joining a specialty team. Each specialty team has its own set of expectations, pre-requisites and minimum standards. You can get more information about specialty teams and their requirements by contacting the team leads.

SBO-OVSAR receives no regular funding from government and relies on its own fundraising activities. For several years now, we have received a yearly contribution from the City of Ottawa to assist in emergency measures as requested.

We have also benefited from a specific project with a number of municipalities/police forces to install emergency sign markers on a number of trails to be used to provide a precise location for someone requesting assistance.

The Pierre Despatie Memorial Tennis Tournament, in memory of a man we searched for, and held at the Ottawa Tennis and Lawn Bowling Club, is another source of donations.

SBO-OVSAR is a federally registered charity, meaning anyone can donate and receive a tax receipt. This also applies to donations through Workplace Charitable Campaigns.

In the past we have also provided our services for a number of special community events (first aid, logistics and communications and co-ordination of other groups of volunteers.

SBO-OVSAR is also grateful to organizations and businesses that provide donations in kind of supplies and services.

Thank you!