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Team Members and SAR Partners

The initial GSAR - Basic training was targeted towards the Manitoba municipal fire service. This group was already well trained, equipped and ready for response to various types of rescue incidents. The teams were organized using the highly successful Provincial Mutual Aid System. The volunteer network has since expanded beyond the Manitoba fire service, and is now represented by volunteers from every corner of Manitoba.

The Manitoba Volunteer Search and Rescue Network has grown over the years to presently include twenty nine (29) highly trained and mobile volunteer teams across the Province. These teams are ready to respond and support local or provincial search efforts at a moments notice. The Provincial Mutual Aid System continues to be frame work for this network.

Local Volunteer GSAR Teams are presently located in the following communities or regional areas of Manitoba using the provincial Mutual Aid District boundary map as the primary administrative boundary for Team make up and response purposes:

North East Mutual Aid
Eastman Mutual Aid
South Interlake Mutual Aid
Pembina Valley Mutual Aid
North Interlake Mutual Aid
Neepawa Mutual Aid
Grand Valley Mutual Aid
Antler River Mutual Aid
Oak Lake Mutual Aid
Turtle Mountain Mutual Aid
West Central Mutual Aid
Riding Mountain Mutual Aid
Lake Winnipegosis Mutual Aid
Swan Valley Mutual Aid
South Central Mutual Aid
Lake Winnipeg – East Training District (Manigotagan)
Grand Rapids, Manitoba
Snow Lake, Manitoba
The Pas, Manitoba
Nelson House, Manitoba
Thompson, Manitoba
Leaf Rapids, Manitoba
Lynn Lake, Manitoba
South Indian Lake, Manitoba
Cross Lake, Manitoba
Western Region Tribal Council
Opaskwayak Cree Nation (OCN)
Brokenhead First Nation
Island Lake Tribal Council
South East - Whiteshell Provincial Park (Westhawk / Falcon Lake)
Riding Mountain National Park

Each member of the Volunteer Teams have received the GSAR – Basic Training program to prepare them for a response. A Team will normally consist of 4 - 5 Team members who are fully equipped for and prepared to be fully self sufficient for no less than 24 hours. They are prepared for all types of weather and ground conditions that they may encounter, and are prepared to search day or night.

The Volunteer Teams are lead by an experienced Team Leader who has typically taken advanced GSAR Team Leader Training and is experienced in GSAR Operations. Volunteer Teams work under the direction and guidance of an experienced Search Manager within the Incident Command System model.

Besides the Volunteer GSAR Teams in Manitoba, the Search and Rescue Manitoba network includes many other Civilian, Federal, Provincial and Municipal “SAR Partners”, who, over the years have worked cooperatively in an effort to provide one of the most efficient SAR Networks in Canada. These SAR Partners include, but are not limited to the following organizations: