The Ontario Volunteer Emergency Response Team (OVERT) Inc. is an entirely new concept in community participation, education and response to Search and Rescue operations, community emergencies and disasters. Our team has expanded upon our original role as a SAR team, taking from this experience to make our organization more capable of assisting our community during major community emergencies.
The OVERT Volunteers that make up the Marine unit receive training above and beyond that of the teams GSAR technicians. The Marine unit members have received specialized training in the areas of marine search and rescue techniques, as well as boating safety and water survival training. All Marine unit members are coast guard certified in the operation of a motorboat. The marine unit consists of a boat crew as well as a land or safety crew.
In the case of severe flooding the Marine unit can supply both equipment and/or marine personnel to assist authorities in evacuating people. During search and rescue operations the Marine unit is responsible for searching lakes, rivers, marshes and inland waterways. For body recovery missions the Marine unit works with K9, providing that unit with a water search capability.