Canadian Coast Guard’s Inshore Rescue Boat Program

January 9, 2013

Established in the 1970s, Canadian Coast Guard’s Inshore Rescue Boat program provides additional search and rescue coverage in key areas during peak times in the recreational boating season.

The new HMCS Discovery inshore rescue boat station, located in the heart of Vancouver Harbour, will start operations by the May long weekend and will continue in operation until after Labour Day in September. It joins Coast Guard’s 25 other Inshore Rescue Boat Stations across Canada.

At each IRB station, an experienced Coast Guard Rescue Specialist acts as the station Coxswain. Rescue Specialists possess a wealth of knowledge and experience including how to respond to a search and rescue incident safely and effectively, damage control training, advanced first aid skills, and restricted visibility navigation. They are assisted by two crew members, who receive training in search and rescue as well as first aid.

Inshore Rescue Boat crews respond to distress calls and provide assistance to mariners in distress or in need of assistance. Crews regularly provide on-scene assistance, First Aid and Medevac transport as required, as well as assistance to disabled, broken down, or missing vessels. These activities occur at any time of the day or night, during all types of weather and sea conditions.

IRB stations have proven to be effective for the delivery of marine search and rescue services in major metropolitan harbours. In both Montreal and Halifax harbours, for example, search and rescue is primarily provided by Coast Guard IRB stations and Coast Guard Auxiliary units. And in addition to its new IRB station and the existing Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue team, Vancouver Harbour will also receive search and rescue support from CCG’s Sea Island Base in nearby Richmond, B.C.

Crewing levels and hours of operation for IRB stations are based on the standard model in use at all Canadian Coast Guard lifeboat stations providing 24-hour search and rescue response, with a combination of eight hours worked and 16 hours on-call. Two crews alternate for two-week assignments at the station followed by two weeks of rest.

Each Inshore Rescue Boat station is equipped with a Zodiac Hurricane Technologies 733 or 753 model Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat. The twin outboard engine, seven-metre boats are open, fast rescue craft which are used extensively at Coast Guard Lifeboat Stations and on major Coast Guard ships. Their speed, design and shallow draft make them extremely effective platforms for the Inshore Rescue Boat program and Search and Rescue in general.

Since the Cortes Bay IRB station opened in B.C. in 1972, the IRB program has proven to be instrumental in providing seasonal search and rescue services throughout the region.

For additional information about the IRB program across Canada:
http://www.ccg-gcc.gc.ca/SAR/IRB-Background

News Release:

NR-PR-13-01E