Exploits Search & Rescue Team Logo Exploits Search & Rescue Newfoundland & Labrador Search & Rescue Association


The Search & Rescue Volunteer Association of Canada has partnered with AdventureSmart to collectively provide education and awareness programs.  Canada’s diverse landscape offers an extraordinary environment and wealth of opportunities for a wide variety of age groups to pursue outdoor recreational activities of all kinds – year round.

While many Canadians take advantage of our great outdoors, sadly there are approximately 10,000 incidents annually in Canada. The majority are marine related (6,000 alone in oceans and Great Lakes), with a break down of 1,000 in aeronautical, over 2,000 in ground search and rescue and 800 humanitarians. These incidents involve people who have reportedly run into trouble while participating in outdoor activities. Unfortunately, the number of SAR incidents across Canada is increasing at an alarming rate annually.

Through education, literature, and simple word of mouth, the AdventureSmart program aims to convey one simple message to outdoor adventure seekers: “Get informed and go outdoors”!

Programs Offerred

Hug-a-Tree and Survive

Hug-a-Tree is an RCMP search and rescue initiative that helps lost children survive in the woods. This proactive, preventative program originated in San Diego, CA, after a nine-year-old boy became lost and tragically died in the wilderness.

A core program under the AdventureSmart banner, Hug-a-Tree and Survive teaches children invaluable outdoor survival lessons, including:

  • Always tell an adult where you are going.

  • Always carry an orange garbage bag and whistle on picnics, hikes and camping trips.

  • Once you know you’re lost, "hug a tree" and stay put.

  • Make a face hole in your garbage bag and put it on over your head to keep warm and dry.

  • Help searchers find you by blowing your whistle and by answering their calls.

Would you like to receive this program at your school or community group? Click here to contact us.

Snow Safety Education Program

Designed for intermediate-aged school children (grades 4-6), SSEP is an interactive multi-media presentation that teaches the essentials of winter outdoor safety and supports the use of proper equipment, knowledge and training to help reduce risks and prevent accidents. The presentation is divided into two parts:

PLAYING IT SAFE IN BOUNDS
Ski hill safety for skiers and snowboarders - for a school trip to a local ski resort, or a weekend with family and friends.

OUT OF BOUNDS - WHAT DO YOU NEED FOR THE BACKCOUNTRY?
Preparedness for mountainous areas outside a designated resort - for those thinking about skiing or riding out-of-bounds from a resort, or for those, including snowmobilers, who do winter wilderness trips to areas other than a resort.

SSEP presentations cover:

  • the Alpine Responsibility Code

  • ski resort signage

  • backcountry hazards associated with “going out-of-bounds”

  • avalanches and the need to be prepared with additional avalanche education, training and equipment.

Would you like to receive this program at your school or community group? Click here to contact us.

 

Survive Outdoors

Statistics show that each year in across Canada there are approximately 10,000 incidents, mostly marine based. Search and Rescue (SAR) incidents involve all types of outdoor enthusiasts each year, from hiking and skiing to backcountry travelers and boaters.

AdventureSmart encourages you to get outside and play, but always be informed and prepared before you set out. Time spent gaining extra knowledge and in preparation can help reverse the SAR incident trend.

Augment your basic outdoor survival knowledge by taking the “Survive Outside – A Guide to Outdoor Safety” program offered by AdventureSmart. This brief presenter-led classroom program is targeted toward novice outdoor enthusiasts, youth groups, and everyone – young and old - interested in learning introductory outdoor survival practices from highly-experienced SAR volunteers and AdventureSmart team members.

In the Survive Outside program, you will learn about SAR in your region; the Code of Responsibility, including 10 Essentials, Trip Plan, Do’s & Don’ts; and Outdoor Travel Tips. Our seasoned, knowledgeable instructors help you tie everything together with scenarios and analyses of real-life SAR experiences.

Want to improve your AdventureSmart IQ? Contact us for more information about taking this terrific program!

Boating Safety with Pukta

Boating safety with Pukta is an initiave of the Office Of Boating Safety and teaches children what precautions to take when going boating, and how to stay safe. The program utilizes Pukta the Saftey Polar Bear, sporting his lifejacket.  Download a marine safety activity booklet with games and puzzles designed for children Download Here