Privacy and Awareness for GSAR: British Columbia

BC GSAR Privacy & Access Awareness Course

Course Overview

Ground Search and Rescue (GSAR) operations routinely involve the collection, use, storage, and disclosure of highly sensitive personal information. As registered societies and non-profit organizations operating in British Columbia, GSAR teams are legally required to comply with provincial privacy legislation, including the Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA).

This self-directed, online course provides practical, GSAR-specific training on privacy protection, access to information, records management, media communications, and privacy breach response. The content is grounded in real operational scenarios and translates legal obligations into clear, actionable practices for both field and administrative environments.

Designed specifically for BC GSAR volunteers, team leaders, managers, and board members, this course supports consistent, defensible privacy practices across all levels of GSAR operations.

Why This Training Matters

During both emergency response and day-to-day operations, GSAR teams handle information that requires the highest standard of care, including:

• Missing person and subject details
• Medical, health, and vulnerability information
• Volunteer personal and personnel records
• Callout documentation, operational reports, and incident records
• Media inquiries and public-facing communications

Improper handling of personal or sensitive information can lead to:

• Legal non-compliance with provincial privacy legislation
• Loss of public confidence and trust
• Increased operational and organizational risk
• Reputational damage to individual teams and the broader GSAR community

This course ensures that all GSAR members understand what information must be protected, why it matters, and how to handle it correctly—under pressure, in the field, and in administrative settings.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Understand their privacy obligations under BC legislation
• Identify personal and sensitive information in GSAR contexts
• Apply privacy principles during active callouts and training exercises
• Manage records securely and in accordance with retention requirements
• Respond appropriately to media inquiries and public communications
• Recognize, report, and respond to privacy breaches and complaints

Course Structure

The course consists of eight structured modules, designed to build practical knowledge progressively:

1. Introduction to Privacy & Access in GSAR
2. Privacy Principles & Best Practices
3. Roles & Responsibilities within GSAR Teams
4. Handling Personal and Sensitive Information During a Callout
5. Records Management, Retention, and Information Security
6. Media Relations and Public Communications
7. Access Requests, Complaints, and Breach Management
8. Final Assessment and Certification

Each module includes operational examples relevant to BC GSAR teams and reflects real-world scenarios volunteers may encounter.

Compliance & Professional Standards

Completion of this course supports:

• Compliance with British Columbia privacy legislation
• Risk reduction and organizational resilience
• Professional, ethical, and consistent information handling
• Standardized privacy training across GSAR teams province-wide

This training reinforces GSAR’s commitment to professionalism, accountability, and public trust—both on the ground and behind the scenes.

Course Information

Estimated Time: 1-3 Hours

Difficulty: Beginner

Course Instructor

Shannyn Rus Author

Shannyn's strong academic background and passion for strategic information management systems make her a highly capable advisor for those seeking to integrate legislation compliance with real-world experience and management. Shannyn is a skilled advocate and educator of Canada's Access and Privacy Legislation. In addition to her Human Services degree, Professional Investigators and IAPP Certificates, she is certified with the Canadian Institute of Access and Privacy Professionals at Professional (CIAPP-P) Status. Shannyn is a former municipal Councilor, frequent conference presenter and leads thought-provoking training sessions for public, health, public and private sectors in communities across Alberta.