Meet the Team Commander of the CFB Esquimalt Medium Search and Rescue Team

Team Commander – Glenn Cooper.

SLt Wilson Ho, 
MUSAR Team

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The CFB Esquimalt’s Medium Urban Search and Rescue (MUSAR) Team completed its monthly training throughout the last week of August at the Emergency Response Training Operations Centre, formerly known as the USAR Training Compound, near the Naval Officer Training Centre (NOTC) Venture.

This month, the team maintained proficiency on the DELSAR Urban Search and Rescue kit, a seismic/acoustic listening device used to detect and locate trapped victims. The team also used the SearchCam 3000, an articulating, extendable, waterproof search and rescue camera to help searchers locate victims trapped in collapsed buildings and spaces.

Preparations were made for the Base Disaster Response courses scheduled to run from Sept. 12 to 30 in preparation for Shake-Out British Columbia, which is occurring in late October.

In addition to training, the team is starting a segment to feature members of the CFB Esquimalt MUSAR team to highlight their experiences and technical expertise. This month, we sat down with Glenn Cooper, the Team Commander of CFB Esquimalt’s MUSAR team.

What are your main responsibilities as the Team Commander?

As the only full-time employed member of CFB Esquimalt’s MUSAR Team, my primary responsibility is to ensure the Team is properly trained and well-equipped to respond to any emergencies as directed by the Base Commander or the Joint Task Force (Pacific) (JTF(P)) Commander.

How long have you been on the team?

I’ve been a part of the MUSAR team since 2001. I’ve worked in all positions, including Rescue Squad, Rescue Team Leader, and Operations Chief. I was promoted to the role of Team Commander in 2008.

How long have you been working/part of the Defence Team?

I’ve been working with Department of National Defence since January 1989.

Where did you learn the technical expertise for Urban Search and Rescue?

I’m passionate about the technical intricacies of Urban Search and Rescue. I obtained my Urban Search and Rescue Specialist Certification through Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas.

What was one of your most memorable experiences as an Urban Search and Rescue Specialist?

I deployed with an outside agency to Mexico City after the 2017 earthquake.

If a military member wants to join the CFB Esquimalt MUSAR Team, where do they start?

We are actively recruiting more CAF members. We train 20 days a year, on the last Wednesday of every month, except in December, and we have two week-long exercises each year. No prior qualifications or experience are needed to join the team.

Interested CAF members can go onto DWAN, search the CFB Esquimalt’s MUSAR Intranet Page, and submit their applications (with Chain of Command authorization) via email to the personnel indicated on the webpage, or to me.