435 Transport and Rescue Squadron to Conduct Night Flare Search and Rescue Exercises near Shilo

17 WING WINNIPEG, Man – 435 Transport and Rescue (T&R) Squadron will conduct night exercises in the vicinity of the Shilo Range between April 11 and 14 from 8:00 p.m. to one o’clock in the morning. (The Shilo Range is located Southeast of Canadian Forces Base Shilo and west of Highway 238.)

The training exercise is part of 435 Squadron’s ongoing training for search and rescue (SAR) crews. The exercise will involve the dropping illumination flares as well as smoke markers for the purpose of targets on the ground or in the water. These illumination flares aid the crews in searching at nighttime and identifying places where they can safely drop lifesaving equipment or deploy search and rescue technicians (SAR Techs) to help persons in need.

Residents and visitors to the area can also expect to hear the sound of the Hercules flying overhead as well as the “popping” of the flares when they are ignited.

Search and rescue is a 24 hour-a-day, seven day-a-week responsibility for 435 Squadron. One aircraft is permanently assigned to SAR stand-by duty and is equipped to aid people, aircraft or vessels in distress. When they are not called upon to help in cases of an aeronautical emergency, search and rescue crews train regularly to maintain the skills necessary to conduct search and rescue missions throughout Canada.

435 Squadron, operating out of 17 Wing Winnipeg, Man., and 424 (T&R) Squadron, operating out of 8 Wing Trenton, Ont., provide primary SAR response for the Trenton Search and Rescue Region, the largest in Canada, which extends from Quebec City to the British Columbia/Alberta border, and from the Canada/United States border to the North Pole.

Associated Links

http://www.rcaf-arc.forces.gc.ca/en/17-wing/index.page

http://www.rcaf-arc.forces.gc.ca/en/17-wing/435-squadron.page

http://www.rcaf-arc.forces.gc.ca/en/aircraft-current/cc-130.page

http://www.rcaf-arc.forces.gc.ca/en/search-rescue.page 

If anyone should find a spent flare or other ordinance, please contact local police services immediately. Do not approach or attempt to remove these objects yourself.