In the outdoors, safety is key to making the most of adventures in the mountains and on the trails. Search and rescue teams play an important role in ensuring the safety of everyday explorers, hikers, and outdoor lovers – especially if things take a turn for the worse.
Unpredictable weather, conditions or terrain can strike suddenly, but the professionals at Squamish Search and Rescue in Canada, and the Norwegian People’s Aid in Norway, are trained and always prepared to respond to a rescue.
As part of Helly Hansen’s new global ‘Belong in the Moment’ campaign, the brand worked with Squamish Search and Rescue team member Nathalie White and Norwegian People’s Aid team leader Odd Harald Johansen to show what it takes to keep the mountains safe and why it matters to them.
In a short film, we gain insight into White and Johansen’s daily lives – wearing their uniforms and responding to distress calls, in contrast to home and family life.
Despite being on call at any moment and often needing to deploy in diverse or challenging conditions, both express a steadfast love for their SAR roles.
To deliver the utmost precision and care on missions, it’s important that White and Johansen feel at ease with their surroundings and mission protocols. That means working together with a skilled team of individuals they can trust and relying on their training and gear.
“Every situation is so fluid, so different, and you have to think fast on your feet,” White explainsed “There are all these different factors to consider once you arrive on scene – do we have enough daylight, is this person critical?”
Johansen added, “Up here, the temperature drops fast. It can be seconds between life and death. You have to be prepared. The group relies on me to make the right decision on how to proceed out in the terrain, so it’s important to me to know that I have their support and their trust in return. In these moments, I go into a zone, everything else is gone.”
White and Johansen belong in the moment and focus on the task at hand.
“In this campaign, we highlight the vital role search and rescue professionals play in keeping the mountains safe and enjoyable for all. Trusting in their training, their teammates and their gear allows them to work with confidence and agility, so they can do their best work,” said Joumana Løvstad, VP Brand and Marketing Strategy at Helly Hansen.
Helly Hansen’s global campaign was created with advertising agency Grey London.
