JRCC helps pilots shake off the “rust”

Major Justin Olsen, Officer in Charge of the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre Victoria, at his desk at CFB Esquimalt.

Will Chaster, MARPAC PA ~

Search and rescue is unique in the sense that, unlike a business, it hopes to see as few customers as possible.

With this goal in mind, prevention activities, an often underreported element of the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre Victoria (JRCC) search and rescue team, takes place throughout the year.

“Activities aimed at prevention really helps us in the long term by ensuring we have fewer ‘customers’ in the future,” says Major Justin Olsen, Officer in Charge of the JRCC.

The prevention program is called Rust Removers.

The name is representative of the potential erosion of skills that may develop with a pilot after a long winter spent mostly on the ground. Transport Canada mandates that all pilots undergo a certain amount of training in order to stay up-to-date on search and rescue techniques and technology each year.

One way to get this refresher is to attend a Rust Removers event put on by the JRCC Search and Rescue team. They usually go directly to a flying club or flight school to update pilots on search and rescue techniques.

“We inform people on how the Rescue Centre gets involved in search and rescue events, what technology we use, and how they can increase their chances of survival in the event of an accident,” explains Maj Olsen.

The Rust Remover program reaches more than 200 people each year in the Western Region.

Any flying or boating organization can request a training day by phoning the JRCC administrative number at 250-413-8927.