Coast Guard's arctic marine unit prepares for northern journey in Parry Sound
The Canadian Coast Guard is spending two weeks in Parry Sound training its new hires for its Artic Marine Response station in Rankin Inlet.
The training exercise is taking place on Georgian Bay.
"Parry Sound and Georgian Bay are great areas for the Arctic crews to train because the geography is very similar to that of Rankin Inlet. It has a rocky shoreline, and there are some areas that are more difficult to navigate than others," said Emma Moore, Search and Rescue senior officer.
The eight-member crew will focus on real-life rescues, including situations like a missing boater, a vessel breakdown, and medical emergencies.
Friday's training focused on water rescues.
"It is quite intense, we're putting in long days, so it does wear you down a little, but again, that's good for our environment that we will be working in. We're going to be out on long calls. We'll be tired, we'll be hungry, so it's good to understand your own feelings and how you react to that," said Lane Weislein with the Canadian Coast Guard.
People in the Party Sound area will notice plenty of boats and aircraft in the area as part of the training over the next week.
The Coast Guard said the nice weather is fine for today, but it's hoping to see a wide variety of weather for training purposes.
"The conditions can change on the water very, very quickly, so being able to train in various conditions is very important and being to train on various topics is also a key factor in making sure our crews are prepared to respond to anything on the water," said Moore.
Brandon Robertson is taking part in the training exercise. "Rankin itself is going to be totally different. I'm from Manitoba, just north of Winnipeg, so being in Rankin is going to be a new environment with different cultures and animals to see. I'm pretty excited even though I don't really know what to expect," he said.
The new Coast Guard members will be back for another week of training in Parry Sound next week. The crew will be positioned in place in Rankin Inlet sometime next month.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Quebec judge orders bus driver to stand trial for 2023 daycare crash deaths
A judge has ordered a Quebec man to stand trial on charges of first-degree murder in the deaths of two children killed when a bus rammed into a Montreal-area daycare last year.
Trudeau's latest pre-budget pledge targets millennial moms, vowing $1B in loans for more child-care spaces
The federal government is launching a new loan program to help child-care providers in Canada expand their spaces, and will be extending further student loan forgiveness and training options for early childhood educators, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
Krispy Kreme doughnuts coming to McDonald's in U.S., but not Canada
Canadians will be missing out on a sweet new partnership between McDonald's and Krispy Kreme, which will see doughnuts available at McDonald's locations across the U.S. by the end of 2026.
BREAKING Calgary officer charged after allegedly assaulting handcuffed man
A Calgary police officer has been charged after allegedly assaulting a handcuffed man two years ago.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
How do you navigate the social media minefield with your kids?
Growing fears about social media's harm have sparked lawsuits against social media companies from hundreds of school districts in the United States and now Canada. CTVNews.ca wants to know whether your children are addicted to social media or if you have concerns about their usage of platforms such as Facebook, Snapchat, TikTok and X.