About Us
The team was formed in 1971 by David Walsh and Michael Eisnor, both of Waterville, and was one of the first SAR teams in the province. The team was founded on two key principals
About us
Our team now has about 65 members with over 487 years of experience among them. All members of Valley Search and Rescue (VSAR) are volunteer professionals. Being a member of the team is both demanding and highly rewarding – as part of an emergency response organization VSAR members must be ready and able to respond when called upon, sometimes in the middle of the night and in any weather conditions. In 2024 we responded to 20 events and contributed over 15000 volunteer hours.
Weekly training sessions
Regular off-site courses
Realistic scenario events
Valley Search and Rescue is part of the Hug-a-Tree program, helping lost children survive in the woods and be found.
Hug-a-Tree presentations target children aged five to twelve. They use a short video and games to teach kids how to avoid getting lost in the woods, and what to do if they do. Children learn to tell an adult where they are going. If lost, they should hug-a-tree and stay put, and learn to keep warm and dry in the woods.
For more information about Hug-a-Tree visit adventuresmart.ca. Contact events@valleysearchandrescue.org to register your school or group for a session.
Partnerships
Project Lifesaver is a non-profit organization dedicated to assisting caregivers with the challenge of caring for loved ones who suffer from Alzheimer’s Disease, Autism or any other causes of wandering or bolting behaviour.
Clients registered with Project Lifesaver wear a personalized bracelet. It is a one-ounce battery-operated radio wrist transmitter that emits a unique automatic tracking signal every second, 24 hours a day. This signal can be received and tracked by Electronic Search Specialists using special radio tracking equipment.
Valley Search and Rescue was instrumental in bringing Project Lifesaver to Nova Scotia, and is the Provincial Training Coordinator for Project Lifesaver Nova Scotia, thus having primary responsibility for training needs within the province.
For more information, contact Project Lifesaver
Our work
