While the Conservative government makes grand plans to protect and patrol the Northwest Passage, here on the northwest coast of BC cutbacks and an abandonment of a much needed service seem to be on the agenda.
With what seems to be the silliest idea floated on the coast in a long time, The Friday Daily News made the potential reduction in tasks for the Prince Rupert based Sikorsky helicopter the front page story. There are rumors swirling that the Federal Government is thinking of not re-installing a vital hoist into the helicopter, a hoist that would be invaluable in any potential rescue situation. Without the important piece of aviation equipment, one wonders what the helicopters would be tasked for in the future.
It’s a puzzling decision for the Northwest, which will have to depend on resources from Comox and/or Sitka, Alaska, should a maritime incident take place off the coast of Northwestern BC.
It’s a puzzling decision for the Northwest, which will have to depend on resources from Comox and/or Sitka, Alaska, should a maritime incident take place off the coast of Northwestern BC.
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Considering the number of fishing vessels and pleasure craft that regularly call on Prince Rupert and the increased amount of shipping said to be on the horizon, what with the new container port and the increasing amount of cruise ship traffic that regularly sails up and down our coast, one would think that an expansion and not reduction of services based out of Prince Rupert would be on the agenda.
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With the Queen of the North tragedy still fresh in our minds, it’s going to take a particularly brave bureaucrat at Transport Canada to tell locals that there is no need for a search and rescue capability for the northwest. As it is, the search and rescue component of the Sikorsky’s duties is only of a secondary nature, if the plan to remove the hoist goes through, there will be no capability for the helicopter at all to lend assistance in an emergency.
Short of course to fly politicians over any potential disaster site for a first hand look and the always required photo op.
With the Queen of the North tragedy still fresh in our minds, it’s going to take a particularly brave bureaucrat at Transport Canada to tell locals that there is no need for a search and rescue capability for the northwest. As it is, the search and rescue component of the Sikorsky’s duties is only of a secondary nature, if the plan to remove the hoist goes through, there will be no capability for the helicopter at all to lend assistance in an emergency.
Short of course to fly politicians over any potential disaster site for a first hand look and the always required photo op.
CHOPPER RESCUE OPERATIONS MAY BE AXED BY OTTAWA
Feds consider downgrading the Canadian Coast Guard chopper Sikorsky
By Kris Schumacher
The Daily News
Friday, August 31, 2007
Page one
Prince Rupert’s search and rescue community says that the Canadian Coast Guard Sikorsky S61N helicopter won’t be outfitted to perform emergency rescues anymore after Ottawa has its say.
The Daily News has confirmed from several sources that the Sikorsky’s hoist, the piece of equipment which is primarily used to rescue those in trouble, was shipped to Europe for refurbishing and has since been returned to Prince Rupert. However, due to the cost of retraining Coast Guard members to operate it, the government has allegedly decided not to have the hoist installed on the Sikorsky.
Despite requests, spokespeople for the federal government have yet to comment on the reports.
Apparently the cost of refurbishing the hoist was around $25,000, but it will cost somewhere in the vicinity of $10,000 to re-qualify staff on the equipment.
While the Sikorsky’s primary use is not for search and rescue, if the chopper is no longer outfitted with a hoist it will no longer even be used for search and rescue as a secondary service.
This would put the closest rescue capable helicopters in Comox, B. C. or Sitka, Alaska, both of which are a couple of hours flying time away, arguably too far to respond to local land or water emergencies.
In the past, the Sikorsky crew have responded to and hoisted people out of scary situations – like when a 21- year-old woman was air lifted off of Mount Hays in 2001.
It is available to assist sinking pleasure craft, commercial vessels and the numerous cruise ships sailing close by. It was also called out to assist in the wake of the sinking of B. C. Ferries’ Queen of the North in 2006.
In the past, there were talks of pulling the Sikorsky right out of operation in Prince Rupert, like in 2003 when government thought the Coast Guard needed to cut its inventory of helicopters.
In 2006 the helicopter was in Ottawa for five months undergoing extensive upgrades and outfitting, which can be expected for a helicopter built in 1972.
Besides gaining an exterior paint job and fresh interior last year, the Sikorsky was also equipped with new radio and navigational equipment, including state-of-the-art DF Homer, used for finding emergency locator beacons from ships and giving the crew a GPS position.
Feds consider downgrading the Canadian Coast Guard chopper Sikorsky
By Kris Schumacher
The Daily News
Friday, August 31, 2007
Page one
Prince Rupert’s search and rescue community says that the Canadian Coast Guard Sikorsky S61N helicopter won’t be outfitted to perform emergency rescues anymore after Ottawa has its say.
The Daily News has confirmed from several sources that the Sikorsky’s hoist, the piece of equipment which is primarily used to rescue those in trouble, was shipped to Europe for refurbishing and has since been returned to Prince Rupert. However, due to the cost of retraining Coast Guard members to operate it, the government has allegedly decided not to have the hoist installed on the Sikorsky.
Despite requests, spokespeople for the federal government have yet to comment on the reports.
Apparently the cost of refurbishing the hoist was around $25,000, but it will cost somewhere in the vicinity of $10,000 to re-qualify staff on the equipment.
While the Sikorsky’s primary use is not for search and rescue, if the chopper is no longer outfitted with a hoist it will no longer even be used for search and rescue as a secondary service.
This would put the closest rescue capable helicopters in Comox, B. C. or Sitka, Alaska, both of which are a couple of hours flying time away, arguably too far to respond to local land or water emergencies.
In the past, the Sikorsky crew have responded to and hoisted people out of scary situations – like when a 21- year-old woman was air lifted off of Mount Hays in 2001.
It is available to assist sinking pleasure craft, commercial vessels and the numerous cruise ships sailing close by. It was also called out to assist in the wake of the sinking of B. C. Ferries’ Queen of the North in 2006.
In the past, there were talks of pulling the Sikorsky right out of operation in Prince Rupert, like in 2003 when government thought the Coast Guard needed to cut its inventory of helicopters.
In 2006 the helicopter was in Ottawa for five months undergoing extensive upgrades and outfitting, which can be expected for a helicopter built in 1972.
Besides gaining an exterior paint job and fresh interior last year, the Sikorsky was also equipped with new radio and navigational equipment, including state-of-the-art DF Homer, used for finding emergency locator beacons from ships and giving the crew a GPS position.
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