Emergency Services across Canada and the United States have assumed a major role as primary responders to all types of emergencies that involve, among other things, structural collapse, trench cave-in, confined spaces, industrial and agricultural machinery, water related emergencies and persons trapped above or below grade level.

These types of emergencies when grouped together into a category of incident are called technical rescue. Technical rescue incidents are often complex, requiring specially trained personnel and special equipment sufficient to mitigate the emergency to a successful conclusion. The "Community Risk Analysis" process that is performed by every community often flags this type of incident as being of a high probability and relies on the local emergency services to be prepared should this type of incident occur.

It was this type of process combined with some natural disasters, in the U.S. which led to the creation of the Urban Search and Rescue concept (US&R), Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) in Canada. In recent years, a number of events have focused attention on the need for a HUSAR capability in Canada. The 1995 Kobe, Japan earthquake demonstrated that a large number of people can be trapped in structures without warning and during a time when it is very difficult for first responders to cope with more than the most rudimentary of assistance. The collapse of the department store in Seoul, South Korea, June 29, 1995, illustrated the fact that there doesn't have to be an earthquake to justify needing HUSAR resources. The Oklahoma City bombing showed that an established, trained, and available national capacity for HUSAR can save lives, relieve the suffering of families and friends, and locate essential forensic evidence. The copycat bombing at the Charlottetown, P.E.I. legislature and the 1995 Toronto subway crash alerted Canadians to the fact that HUSAR resources could be required in Canada. If the major earthquake predicted for the lower mainland of British Columbia were to occur, studies done in 1989 for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation indicate that 10-30% of residential construction would become uninhabitable and up to 30% of transportation routes unusable. Fifty to 100% of un-reinforced masonry buildings would collapse. Up to 60% of older schools and hospitals (constructed prior to 1940) that have not been strengthened would become unusable. In a 1990 study, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation compared the damage done in the Loma Prieta earthquake of 1989 with what could be expected in the Greater Vancouver area following a major earthquake.

The report concluded that the level of damage in the Greater Vancouver area would be greater than that experienced in California, due primarily to differences in seismic building codes and geology.

International experience with earthquakes demonstrates that the rate of survival for persons rescued from a collapsed building drops dramatically day by day over the first four to five days, after which the prospects of survival are extremely unlikely.

According to one source 81% of those rescued on the first day are likely to survive. This rate drops to 34% on the second day and falls to only 7% by the fifth day.

These figures are not dissimilar to the Kobe HUSAR experience. In Oklahoma City, no live rescues occurred after the first 24 hours following the explosion. Eleven Teamed States USAR task forces were deployed to Oklahoma City after the bombing.

The presence of trained USAR Teams can reduce the number of deaths among untrained, but enthusiastic rescuers. In the 1985 Mexico City earthquake, more than 130 untrained rescuers died in their efforts to save others. In Oklahoma City, one rescuer was lost and she was not a member of a USAR Team.

Sadly, the rescue of survivors will not be the only measure of USAR success. The extrication of deceased victims will allow the grieving process to move to closure. In addition, trained USAR Teams are invaluable in the collection of forensic evidence (as demonstrated in Oklahoma City).

There is an extensive system of land, sea and air search and rescue resources in Canada. The system is nation-wide, volunteer-based and is among the best in the world. The same, however, cannot be said for USAR.

In a situation involving trapped and injured persons, local jurisdictions would likely have to rely on locally available professional and volunteer First Responders lacking the specialized heavy rescue training and experience. They would rush to assist and could put both the trapped and other rescuers at risk.

There are currently exceptions to this situation in Canada. Across Canada HUSAR Teams are being developed within a National Programme to address this issue. Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Montreal & Halifax are all now at various stages of Team development. Vancouver was Canada’s first deployable Team, certified in 2001. Vancouver’s Team is comprised of two 48 member deployable group’s, drawn from a number of different organizations within the City.

The Toronto HUSAR Team is now available to deploy locally, provincially & nationally. The Team now has a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ontario Provincial Government to respond into the Province, whenever required. The Team is very similar to Vancouver’s Team, consisting of a total 130 members when completely staffed. These members are carefully selected city personnel from many departments. They are specially trained and equipped to meet many types of challenges. Toronto HUSAR is able to respond on a 7 day 24–hour (7/24) basis with whatever level of support required by a local Incident Commander. Toronto HUSAR is contracted to respond outside of Toronto within 6 hours. Toronto HUSAR will respond to any community, province wide, whose resources have been overwhelmed. As the National Programme develops Toronto HUSAR is prepared to respond nationally throughout Canada and internationally, when required