New Maps Enhance Ground Search Capabilities

EMERGENCY MEASURES ORGANIZATION--New Maps Enhance Ground Search Capabilities

Ground Search and Rescue (GSAR) workers now have access to more- detailed maps of the province, which will enhance their ability to find lost people. New paper and digital topographic maps have been developed at the Nova Scotia Geomatics Centre, Service Nova Scotia and Municipal Relations, and provided to the Nova Scotia Ground Search and Rescue Association through the Emergency Measures Organization.

Previously, ground search and rescue workers used 1:50,000-scale maps. As a result of this new initiative, all 24 ground search and rescue teams now have 1:10,000-scale paper-based maps of the province. A digital version is also available. Teams that have the equipment can load the digital maps into their laptops or even handheld organizers. This provides ground-search workers with the ability to link the digital maps with global positioning systems (GPS) software and print specific area maps for a search.

"The province's ground search and rescue program is recognized internationally as a leader in the field," said Jamie Muir, Minister responsible for the Emergency Measures Act. "We were pleased to be able to provide the GSAR teams with such high- quality maps, which will add to their expertise and ability to respond in an emergency."

Charlie Strickland, president of Nova Scotia's Ground Search and Rescue Association, said the new maps are a great benefit to the GSAR teams.

"Next to a trained searcher, maps are the best resource for searching. The accuracy of the 1:10,000-scale maps is a great improvement over the previous ones we were using. Having the new digital maps is a big time-saver, which is vital to a successful search."

It is also important to have maps that are current. For this reason, the agreement also allows for the maps to be updated as changes occur.

The provincial Emergency Measures Organization sponsors the ground search and rescue program. More than 1,600 people volunteer in this program, which exists through an agreement with the RCMP and the Emergency Measures Organization.