Valley Search and Rescue wants an indoor facility to store their gear to avoid delaying winter searches.

Search manager Fred Bond said the converted school bus they use can take 30 to 60 minutes to start on cold days because it sits outside.

“Really to be blunt, it can mean the difference between life and death,” he said Thursday.

He's also concerned about all of these vehicles sitting outside at the Waterville Airport. Exposed to the weather, rust eats into many of the expensive machines.

He says the cost to replace the entire fleet would be $500,000.

Valley Search and Rescue has made a pitch for a $1.2 million emergency building and garage built by Kings County and three surrounding towns.

That would protect the vehicles, and could also double as a warming centre during emergencies.