Strengthening Canada’s Disaster Response: SARVAC’s First-Ever MIST Workshop Brings GSAR Members Together




Last weekend, 31 GSAR members from Coast to Coast to Coast gathered in Toronto, ON, for SARVAC’s first-ever Mission Incident Support Team (MIST) Workshop!
This workshop is designed to provide advanced incident management training, enabling participants to take on command and general staff roles within the MIST for future SARVAC HWF deployments. The training came just in time for that year’s flood and fire season, strengthening SARVAC’s ability to respond to the growing number of hazards impacting communities across Canada.
As we wrapped up the final day of the workshop, we had covered a wide range of topics, including:
- SARVAC HWF governance and operational overview
- Emergency management in Canada
- Information flow and dissemination
- Responsibilities and risk assessment
- Operational planning and technology
Participants also engaged in breakout sessions, solidifying their understanding of key concepts to enhance their ability to support disaster response efforts.
Together, we accumulated 598 years of GSAR experience. With this combination of training and expertise, we became an unstoppable force ready to respond to any challenge.
A huge thank you to all participants! We looked forward to working with you in future responses.
Want to learn more about SARVAC’s HWF program? Visit www.sarvachwf.ca!