Search and rescue exercise scheduled for weekend

Airspace over parts of Cape Breton is expected to see an increase in traffic over the weekend.

Some 20 members from the Civil Air Search and Rescue Association, along with five aircraft, and possibly military personnel and aircraft from CFB Greenwood will take to the sky as part of an annual training exercise.

Timothy Morrissey, local spokesperson for the Cape Breton chapter of the national association, said participants will be searching for a downed aircraft complete with a mock crash disaster site from which victims need to be rescued.

He said military participation in the exercise will depend on scheduling and whether they receive any callouts for a real search and rescue.

The exercise will feature association members from Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. Morrissey said there are between 12-15 association members based in Cape Breton.

The exercise is scheduled to run from Friday to Sunday and Morrissey said in the event of inclement weather, participants will focus on in-door training.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the national association that comprises volunteers from a wide spectrum of community life.

“We have members from a variety of backgrounds including police, retired individuals, Nova Scotia Power,” explained Morrissey, whose day job is an international recruiter at Cape Breton University.

He said there are four association pilots here in the Sydney area along with a similar number of navigators and spotters who also assist in searches.

Across the country, he said, there are some 2,800 association members who supply their own equipment such as airplanes.

“This is something I’ve always wanted to do,” said Morrissey, who joined the association four years ago and is now working towards securing a pilot’s licence.

He said some local residents may not notice a thing in the sky over their homes but others should not be alarmed in seeing low-flying airplanes.

The first flight is set for approximately 10 a.m. Saturday.

Those interested in finding out more information on the association can do so by accessing its website, casaranovascotia.ca.