How we got started,

Ground Search and Rescue as an organized effort in the Province of New Brunswick began with a small force of approximately sixty members from the present York Sunbury Search & Rescue and Hoyt Search and Rescue Teams who responded to a letter from (now retired Royal Canadian Mounted Police Sergeant) Ray Gauthier which was published in the Fredericton “Daily Gleaner”
of October 01, 1983.
   Sgt. Gauthier’s desire was to have a trained team to respond to emergencies of this nature. As a result of the efforts of these volunteers, the original New Brunswick Ground Search and Rescue was incorporated on December 20, 1983.
   Believing in the viability and realizing the benefits to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and other Policing Agencies of such an organization and with Emergency Measures Organization beginning to give active support to such an undertaking – RCMP Staff Sergeant Gordon Snow began the encouragement and the process of assisting the formation of similar teams strategically located across New Brunswick.
   With the Search and Rescue concept rapidly expanding Province wide, the need developed for a Provincial Administrative to correlate uniform standards and procedures, represent the teams effectively and speak with a unified voice in their dealings with the various agencies and organizations of mutual concern.

   Thus with administrative assistance and support from the Emergency Measures Organization – the original New Brunswick Ground Search and Rescue Inc. changed its name on January 13, 1986 to York Sunbury Ground Search and Rescue Inc. and consented to the title “New Brunswick Ground Search and Rescue (1986) Inc”. was incorporated into its present structure with Aubrey Foster of  Carleton Ground Search and Rescue Inc. as first Provincial President on May 16, 1986 under the authority of the Minister of Justice of the day, The Honorable David R. Clark Q.C.

   Emergency Measures Organization further assisted the organization by helping to establish a memorandum of understanding on the respective roles of Ground Search and Rescue, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Emergency Measures Organization concerning operations and training by providing compensation coverage should a team member be injured on an actual Search or during an exercise.

The province of New Brunswick was originally divided into twelve specific Ground Search and Rescue regions in which Ground Search and Rescue Teams have been authorized and established. GSAR teams are established in the following regions:

Carleton Ground Search & Rescue                          Florenceville
Chaleur Ground Search & Rescue                           Bathurst
Charlotte County Ground Search & Rescue              St. Stephen
Greater Fundy Ground Search & Rescue                  Sussex
Miramichi Ground Search & Rescue                         Newcastle
North-West Ground Search & Rescue Inc.                Edmundston
Restigouche Ground Search & Rescue                     Campbellton
River Valley Ground Search & Rescue                      Saint John
Tri-County Ground Search & Rescue                        Moncton
York Sunbury Ground Search & Rescue                    Fredericton

(Editors Note:Unfortunately Hoyt Ground Search & Rescue disbanded in 2006, service to that region is now provided by York Sunbury GSAR).