History

David Walsh and Michael Eisnor, both of Waterville, formed the team in 1971. The team, in its infancy, was a small group of people from the Waterville area but now includes women and men from throughout the county. Emergency Measures Organization (EMO) also became involved in 1971 and supplied the team with some basic equipment.
When VSAR was formed, its initial training was conducted in the old Waterville school building. In the fall of 1979, County council granted the VSAR use of some land at the municipal airport to erect a clubhouse for meetings and special events, equipment storage and search headquarters. Starting in early September 1979, utilizing evening and weekend voluntary labour and group funds, members erected the building shell.

VSAR is a non-profit, incorporated organization whose funding comes substantially from the Municipality of the County of Kings as well as from other fund raising efforts.