ICSOS

Serving as a Search and Rescue Technician with the Royal Canadian Air Force for 19 years, Dave MacDonald witnessed the unnecessary suffering and loss of life in situations that could have had better outcomes. Observing firsthand the lack of standardized survival training programs, the inadequacy of most instruction, and the profusion of complicated or misdirected intentions, Dave – along with his aboriginal wife – founded the International Canadian School of Survival Inc. (ICSOS).

ICSOS has adopted a method of survival instruction based on and mirroring the Royal Canadian Air Force’s standards of information and within the Search and Rescue community. ICSOS teaches a Survival Pattern that can be used in any environment – arctic, desert, jungle, grasslands, or forest; and whether travelling by boat, plane, or overland. This unique training program complements and often underlines any disaster preparedness planning, whether urban or wilderness, man-made or natural disaster.

ICSOS has many online and in-person courses to join to grow your skills or get a refresher. Some of the courses they offer are:

Wilderness Safety & Survival | Land Navigation | Wilderness First Aid | Cold Water Immersion | Wildlife Awareness & Predator Safety | Firearms Safety Course | Firearms Safety Course | Winter Survival Skills | Bushcraft Survival Skills | Urban Emergency Preparedness | Aviation Survival | Wilderness Survival Challenge | Custom Courses

Custom courses are available and involve mobile teaching teams, which you can book to come out to you for an in-person class, consulting services, programs you can customize to fill your wilderness-related need, interactive guest speaking, presentations and workshops. They even offer backcountry guiding for various outdoor activities!

You can experience some of ICSOS’ knowledge at the Great Outdoors Expo! They will have a booth set up and will also be presenting live on stage! More details about their presentation will be released soon, so make sure you check for updates!