Search and rescue volunteers question need for Nova Scotia Guard

When he retired from the provincial government, in 2010, Ron Jeppesen offered his organizational skills as a project manager to the local search and rescue organization in his community.

As the volunteer president of the Eastern Shore Ground Search and Rescue Team, Jeppesen said he was stunned to hear Premier Tim Houston announce the creation of the Nova Scotia Guard, a new volunteer organization to help out during major emergencies.

"To be honest, I felt like somebody gave me a slap in the face as a search and rescue person, because the 23 Nova Scotia search and rescue teams currently do a lot of civil emergency response work," Jeppesen told CBC News. "Maybe the premier doesn't even know what we do or doesn't know we exist, or he thinks somebody else could do it better."

He wasn't the only one blindsided by the news.

"It was a shock, for sure," said Sherry Veinot, president of the Nova Scotia Ground Search and Rescue Association, which represents the 23 volunteer search and rescue teams in the province and their 1,200 volunteers. "There should have been lots of discussion, lots of planning for the idea" to determine whether it's feasible in Nova Scotia.

"This is just a complete surprise."

Money better spent elsewhere, say volunteers

The Ontario government created a similar organization in 2022, called the Volunteer Corps.

Jeppesen and Veinot both wonder how much money the province will spend creating the guard.

"I do think the money would be better spent" funding existing search and rescue teams, said Veinot.

Last October, the association requested an increase to the $3,000 in yearly operating grants teams have been receiving for the past 15 years. Veinot said she was still waiting for a response from the Nova Scotia government.

"That $3,000 doesn't go far today," said Veinot.

Jeppesen was more direct in his appeal.

"I mean why not just give us some funding," he said. "You know, we're always scratching for a dollar to buy new equipment or upgrade our skills and take training," said Jeppesen. "Maybe we could get better equipment, have some more training and just continue on with what we've been doing."

Jeppesen also wondered where the province expected to find volunteers.

"I know every organization, from food banks to search and rescue, to volunteer fire departments have a hard time getting people," he said.

But Premier Tim Houston told reporters this past week 1,000 people had already registered their interest in joining the guard.

"So I think Nova Scotians will step up," said Houston, who noted the introduction of a bill to create the Nova Scotia Guard this spring was only the beginning of the process. "There'll be extensive discussions over the summer, with all kinds of organizations."

"We'll talk about all kinds of issues."

This past week, Houston sent an email to the accounts of 12,638 government employees inviting them to join the guard.

In it he wrote, "Any provincial employee, who is not designated as essential under their department's business continuity plan, can volunteer for the Nova Scotia Guard and may be asked to assist in an emergency response and/or recovery.

"Your participation will depend on your availability at the time of the emergency and will not have an impact on your employment status (i.e., pay, benefits)."

A spokesperson for the premier later clarified, saying in an email to CBC, "If a government employee volunteers with the Nova Scotia Guard, they will continue to be paid."

Jeppesen said his organization would also like to offer workers paid time off to volunteer, but is unable to do so.

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