The first National SAREX (Search and Rescue Exercise) was hosted by Comox's 19 Wing this week.

The event brought together crews from RCAF, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Navy, and Civil Air Search and Rescue Association (CASARA) to be part of the most ambitious Canadian SAREX in nine years.

The crews were given a scenario on Friday to respond to a mock aviation disaster at Smit Field, near Courtenay. The scenario was that a plane had crashed upon landing, and 45 people had various injuries. The crews responded by flying in reconnaissance aircraft and dropping SAR members to the scene by parachute. Once they secured the scene, helicopters were able to land and evacuate the victims. The event occurred on Friday from 10 a.m. until just after 2 p.m.

The event capped off a week-long series of events, testing interoperability between SAR organizations and sharing best practices. Canadian personnel came from as far away as Gander, Newfoundland, and the event also featured some cross-border collaboration with the US Coast Guard and Navy.

Other events included a test of the new cell phone technology that allows SAR to communicate with those in distress and a mock naval rescue.