SARscene Games

Date and Location:

• Saturday, October 29, 2011   0800-1600
• Winnipeg, MB (venue to be announced)

What are the SARSCENE Games?
Format
Games Day Schedule
Skill level
Teams
Clothing & Equipment
Awards
Team Registration
Waiver

 

The SARscene Games is a one-day event that is intended to showcase search and rescue (SAR) and to promote the sharing of skills in a friendly yet competitive environment. As a land-based event, the focus is on the ground and inland water search and rescue environment, but knowledge and techniques practiced by air and maritime SAR professionals may also be incorporated. Held each year in conjunction with the annual SARscene event, the Games are organized jointly by the National Search and Rescue Secretariat and its co-host. This year, the event's co-host is the Manitoba Office of the Fire Commissioner and Search and Rescue Manitoba (SARMAN). The Games typically bring together participants from across Canada, and often internationally. The judges selected to design and evaluate the Games each year also represent a diverse cross-section of the search and rescue community, and have included search and rescue volunteers, police, military SAR technicians, park wardens, paramedics, firefighters, Coast Guard personnel, and government and industry SAR specialists.

The one-day event consists of a series of six SAR-related challenges that demand cooperation, knowledge and quick thinking by teams of four people. Qualified adjudicators do the scoring, and the winning teams are determined on the basis of their total score for the day. During the course of the day, teams rotate through the six events, which are located in different areas across the Games site. Both SARscene attendees and members of the general public are invited to walk through the site and view the teams as they progress through each event. The Games are coordinated from a central command post, which serves as the focal point for the day's activities, including the opening ceremony, team briefing, and public information.

08:00 – Briefing for competing teams
08:30 – Opening ceremony (15 minutes)
09:00 – Events begin (50 minute rotations)
12:00 – Lunch break
13:00 – Games resume
16:00 – Games conclude
19:30 (approx.) – Awards presentation (takes place during SARscene 2011 Meet-and-Greet reception at the Winnipeg Convention Centre)

Events in the SARscene Games are designed so that anyone with a basic level of SAR training (ref: National Criteria for Volunteer Ground SAR) can participate. There are not therefore any events that demand specialized skills or equipment, such as high-angle rescue, confined space entry, or swift water rescue. However, those participants with more experience and/or advanced levels of training usually earn higher scores, as well as bonus points offered in some events. While the SAR skills involved are most common to the ground and inland water SAR environment, teams specializing in air and marine SAR have also competed in the SARscene Games and placed in the top three. Teams are not told in advance exactly what to expect, but are advised that the following core skills may be featured in some or all of the six events:

• land navigation, including compass and/or GPS
• interpretation of topographic maps and common symbols
• common SAR knots and basic rope techniques
• line-heaving (rope throwing) accuracy
• basic low angle rescue and litter-carrying techniques
• visual search techniques and efficiency
• First Aid and emergency scene management
• survival skills, including the construction of ground-to-air signals, fire, and improvised shelters
• search management theory and application
• general SAR knowledge (e.g. coordinate systems, common terminology, search techniques, phonetic alphabet)
• judgement, ingenuity, teamwork

Time is also allotted during each rotation for the judges to give some general feedback on each team's performance. In addition to friendly competition, the Games are also intended to promote exchange between SAR workers from across Canada and beyond. A sample of the events held in previous years can be viewed here:  2004 - Calgary, Alberta; 2007 - Victoria, British Columbia.

Teams are made up of four people of any age and background. Some may be provincial finalists representing their SAR volunteer association; some may be paid professionals that work together in an operational unit or squadron; others may be friends or SAR colleagues who are attending SARscene. All teams enter the Games in a spirit of friendly competition. If time and space permit, it may be possible to form an impromptu team on the day of the event, but advance registration is recommended and appreciated.

Team members may bring a small pack with personal gear, including compass, notepad, pen/pencil and water bottle, but any other required equipment and supplies (e.g. rope, maps, First Aid materials, etc.) will be provided on site. As the Games will proceed rain or shine, participants are reminded to dress for all conditions, including variable terrain. The weather in October is highly variable, and may change rapidly, so participants and spectators alike should come prepared for cold, wet and/or windy weather.

The top three teams will be announced, and medals presented on the same evening as the Games during the SARscene Meet and Greet reception. The overall winning team will also have its name inscribed on the William Slaughter Cup, and – for those located within Canada or the United States – have the option of displaying the cup at their home base until September of the following year. The winning team will also receive a commemorative plaque to take home. All participating teams will be provided with an individual summary of their scores for each event, within the three weeks following the Games.