West Hants Ground Search and Rescue is a small, but vibrant rural team located in Mount Denson, Hants County, Nova Scotia. The team has been in existence since 1977 and has a good mix of long serving members and new recruits, with members coming from a variety of backgrounds. New members are always welcome, and while experience is nice, we will gladly work with new members to improve their skills and knowledge. The team has been active in searches for both its local Search and Rescue zone as well as providing mutual aid for searches across the province as needed.
The team actively trains and holds realistic and engaging training sessions two to three times a month in addition to having some members participate in provincial level training throughout the year at other locations. On a typical team training night, the team members may train in the base, practice in the woods below the base or the woods of the area or have a combination of the two. The team also meets the last Sunday of every month at the Base in Mt. Denson from 7:00 p.m. for administrative work and training.
Like other search and rescue teams, WHGSAR serves the local community in an educational role and in particular provides Adventure Smart programs for groups in the area such as the Hug-a-Tree Program. The team will also assist EMO for particular events as requested. Due to the fundraising efforts of the team and the generosity of many local businesses, the team has been able to purchase and maintain a command bus to direct searches as well as a truck and trailer to support search efforts. The team’s building, located on Highway 1 in Mt. Denson, also serves the local community as it is used for a variety of events from parties to local music nights.
Our training page is found at http://whgsartraining.weebly.com/ and the group has an informal Facebook page.
Contact information phone numbers: SAR questions
Base booking: 902-684-9422.
Base is found on Highway #1 in Mount Denson Nova Scotia.