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Lifesaving Search from the Air and on the Ground

Cooperation of Nova Scotia SAR Groups Leads to the Successful Rescue of a Lost Four-Year-Old Boy

Four-year-old Justin Leblanc was cold, exhausted and unable to move after being lost for over six hours in the Nova Scotia woods. When the search helicopter spotted and hovered over him, he sat up briefly but quickly lay down again - exhausted from his ordeal. A few more hours of being lost and the reunion that was to occur may not have been so joyous.

Justin went missing from his home a short distance from the nearby ballpark between 9:00 and 9:30 on the morning of June 7, 2003. It was believed that a large dog, which belonged to Justin's neighbour and that which also been missing since that morning, was with the child. One clue to his location was his boots found stuck in the mud earlier in the afternoon. It looked like he walked right out of them and continued away from the ballpark.

Teams go into action

A multi-organization search was quickly mobilized, including members of the Yarmouth Civil Aviation Search and Rescue Association (CASARA), the Yarmouth Ground Search and Rescue and Barrington Ground Search and Rescue teams, the RCMP, the Pubnico Fire Department, paramedics and local volunteers. A search effort would be made from the ground and from the sky to find Justin.

A Department of Natural Resources (DNR) helicopter was sent to the search and CASARA spotters, Becky Cottreau and Cliff Gavel, were taken onboard to spot the boy from the air. After flying for an hour or so with no positive results, they began flying a grid search across West Pubnico. At approximately 3:35 pm, Cliff Gavel called the helicopter around and all on board were greatly relieved to see the big yellow dog only a few feet away from the child, who was lying under a small tree.

Because the terrain was too poor to allow the helicopter to land, the aircraft directed a ground team to follow them to him, where they hovered until he was in the arms of one the members of the ground search and rescue team. Within 10 minutes the team was back to the ballpark. Paramedics gave the boy a thorough check-up to ensure that he was okay. Later his father reported that Justin was tired, cold and somewhat dehydrated but, all things considered, he was fine. The father also expressed his heartfelt thanks on behalf of Justin's family for the efforts of all involved in the rescue of his son.

Training and coordination saved Justin's life

Searcher Becky Cottreau, declared that "it was an absolutely incredible day to be a CASARA member! This truly is what all of our training is for and I can honestly say that the instant that we were able to positively identify Justin and to verify that he was not seriously injured was the best CASARA moment that I have ever had in my nearly 14 years as a CASARA member!"

This search and rescue was an excellent example of a well-coordinated activity between ground and air search and rescue resources in Nova Scotia. It shows the great progress that these organizations are making toward seamless search service - so that others may live.