The Joint Rescue Coordination Centre Halifax (JRCC Halifax) is a rescue coordination centre operated by the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG).
Contents
JRCC Halifax is responsible for coordinating the Search and Rescue (SAR) response to air and marine incidents within the Halifax Search and Rescue Region (SRR). This region covers areas of the Atlantic Ocean west of 30° west longitude, north of 42° north latitude and south of 70° north latitude. It includes the land mass of eastern Canada comprising the entirety of Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, the eastern half of Quebec, and the southern half of Baffin Island. This area measures 4.7 million km2 of which approximately 80% is water.
As a secondary role, JRCC Halifax coordinates requests by other levels of government for federal SAR resources. These secondary request are commonly made for humanitarian reasons that fall within provincial or municipal jurisdiction (e.g., searching for missing hunters, hoisting injured hikers and medical evacuation when civilian agencies are unable due to weather or location).
Mission
"The national search and rescue (SAR) objective is to prevent loss of life and injury through search and rescue alerting, responding and aiding activities using public and private resources."
JRCC Halifax coordinates and controls Search and Rescue Units (SRUs) within its area of responsibility. The centre serves as a communications hub and primary point of contact for the coordination and direction of rescue units and on-scene commanders in order to meet the national objective in the safest and most effective manner possible.
Command and control
The Minister of National Defence has overall responsibility for the operation of the coordinated federal SAR system with primary (full-time) SAR resources provided by the Canadian Forces and Department of Fisheries and Oceans. Within the Canadian Forces, SAR policy and procedures are the responsibility of Canadian Joint Operations Command with each JRCC being operationally responsible to the senior military officer in their region. JRCC Halifax is responsible to the Commander of Joint Task Force (Atlantic).
Personnel
JRCC Halifax is staffed by personnel from the RCAF and CCG 24 hours a day, year-round. Duty staff are
Air and Marine controllers are collectively called "mission coordinators". All JRCC personnel function together as a team to ensure that response to distress incidents is co-ordinated effectively.
Location
JRCC Halifax is located at CFB Halifax in Halifax, Nova Scotia. JRCC Halifax is connected with the Canadian Mission Control Centre (CMCC), Nav Canada, and the Canadian Coast Guard Marine Communications and Traffic Services radio systems.