**** Via Halifax SAR
Yesterday afternoon (Friday, February 6), at the request of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Nova Scotia, Halifax Regional Detachment, HSAR members responded to assist a person who became disoriented in the Spider Lake / Waverley Road area.
With a recent phone location ping (approximately 3kms away) and information that the subject’s phone battery was very low, multiple task teams were deployed quickly. Our RPAS (drone) was also deployed, providing overhead situational awareness and supporting command as tasks progressed.
Teams located the person on the far side of the lake, confirmed their condition, and began care immediately. Members initiated active warming, packaged the patient, and coordinated a litter extraction to the lakeside. Our Argo then completed the extraction back to Command, where the patient was transferred to Emergency Health Services - EHS Emergency Preparedness Special Operations (EPSO) paramedics for ongoing care. Additional teams also safely escorted the two dogs back across the lake.
While calls like this are often categorized as a “remote rescue,” we initiated a full team call-out due to the combination of cold temperatures and snow conditions. Having additional resources on site helped us reach the subject faster, and ensured we had the right capabilities in place for a safe extraction.
Quick winter reminder: trails and lakes can turn serious fast.
✅ Take time to trip plan, train, and pack the essentials.
📱 Phones are affected by the cold—keep yours fully charged, carry a backup battery, and store it close to your body to preserve battery life.
📞 If you think you’re in trouble, call 911 early.
