Sentinel Staff
U.S. Coast Guard, Canadian and Alaska Army National Guard crews are scheduled to conduct search and rescue exercises near Sitka next week.
The crews of U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Sitka, Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak, Royal Canadian Air Force 442 Squadron, Sitka Mountain Rescue, Coast Guard Cutter Douglas Denman and Juneau Army National Guard will take part.
The exercises will include helicopter operations, on Monday, May 8, through Friday, May 12.
Crews will focus on basic rescue techniques, with the different organizations observing one another’s standard practices. Later, they will execute several exercises using specific search and rescue skills, and toward the end of the week the crews will join in a mass-casualty response exercise.
“Air Station Sitka often works alongside other Coast Guard units, as well as local, state, federal, and international partners, to execute demanding rescues in both maritime and inland areas, often during periods of harsh weather,” said Cmdr. Vincent Jansen, Air Station Sitka’s commanding officer.
“We’re excited to host our partners for a week of training. Exercises such as these allow crews to learn best practices from each other, practice integrating efforts, and strengthen organizational partnerships.”
The U.S. Coast Guard is Southeast Alaska’s lead search and rescue entity, working closely with partners in Canada, Jansen noted.
Exercises with the RCAF 442 Rescue Squadron from Comox, British Columbia, were paused during the COVID-19 pandemic, but efforts to renew the joint training exercises began last year and included other local, state, and federal partners.
