Vancouver Island military search and rescue crews train with U.S. Coast Guard
Crews from 19 Wing Comox are back on the ground after attending a week of specialized training in the United States, learning special techniques to get in and out of extreme ocean waves.
"It was awesome to be able to train in a more realistic environment, out of our normal rules," said Master-Cpl. Carl Mozienko of Comox's 442 Transport and Rescue Squadron.
Three pilots, two flight engineers and three search and rescue technicians, spent five days training with members of the U.S. Coast Guard down in Astoria, Oregon, near the mouth of the Columbia River.
The location was chosen because of its rough seas, according to Brad Pigage, a chief aviation survival technician for the Advanced Helicopter Rescue School .
"Cape Disappointment is known for being the graveyard of the Pacific, so a lot of big waves, heavy surf, bad weather, low visibility, all that stuff you can expect right there," he said.
"At the school we pride ourselves at putting these air crew and rescue swimmers and SAR techs through a higher intensity situation, high-risk training, and we mitigate the risk by having more ground party and safety measures in place," said Pigage.
Cpt. Joseph Jacques was one of the Cormorant pilots taking part in the training.
"The U.S. Coast Guard, they’re the subject matter expert in terms of high-surf training, and that school specifically, so we definitely learned a lot from them," he said.
While the SAR techs were the ones diving into the cold ocean, the pilots and crew members onboard the helicopter had their own tasks to master.
(442 Transport and Rescue Squadron)Jacques says the Cormorant typically hovers around 1.5 metres to three metres above the water but had to stay higher due to the high waves and breaking surf.
"We had to adjust our procedure to stay higher and look at the waves, count the waves, communicate between the crew members as to how low it’s safe to descend, and then timing the exit for the SAR-tech to jump on the crest of the waves," Jacques said.
While the crews regularly practice their techniques around the Comox Valley, they do so in fresh water environments avoiding salt water, which is much harder on the aircraft.
"We don’t really typically do it, so it’s only going to be in operations," said Mozienko.
"So we can end up being in that situation without really realistic training," he said. "But going down there gave us that opportunity to swim in big waves."
(442 Transport and Rescue Squadron)The course also included vertical cliff rescues, urban search and rescue, as well as cave rescues.
"You learn how to enter the cave and going out of the cave and learn how to use the helicopter to get yourself out of it as well, because the currents are going to be different and you don’t want to be stuck inside," Mozienko said.
While the American rescue crews use smaller helicopters than the Cormorant, working alongside their southern counterparts gave the crew from Comox the chance to share techniques.
"They’re flying the MH60 and the 65, the J-Hawk and the Dolphin, which are way smaller," said Jacques.
"They don’t have the same drown draft on their helicopter, don’t have the same weight and references, so we have to tweak the techniques a little bit," he said.
(442 Transport and Rescue Squadron)
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
TD penalties expected to be higher on alleged drug money laundering link: analyst
A banking analyst says TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
Magnitude 4.8 earthquake recorded west of Vancouver Island
A 4.8-magnitude earthquake was reported west of Vancouver Island Thursday evening.
Biscuits with possible plastic pieces, metal found in ground pork: Here are the recalls for this week
Here are the latest recalls Canadians should watch out for, according to Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
How falling for a stranger she met on a beach led this woman to ditch the U.S. for the French Riviera
Niki Benjamin, from the U.S., had travelled to a paradise island to do some soul searching, and her life ended up going in a very different direction when her dog ran up to a stranger.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.
DEVELOPING Foreign interference inquiry to report today on alleged meddling in federal elections
A federal commission of inquiry into foreign interference is slated to release a report today on alleged meddling in the last two general elections.
Princess Anne to take part in B.C. ceremony bringing new ship into Pacific fleet
Western Canada's first Arctic and Offshore Patrol Vessel will officially be brought into the Pacific fleet today and Princess Anne, the sister of King Charles, is scheduled to take part in its commissioning ceremony.
BREAKING Winnipeg man accused of killing four women will be tried by jury
A Winnipeg man accused of killing four Indigenous women will have his case heard by a jury.
Wally, the emotional support alligator once denied entry to a baseball game, is missing
Emotional support animal registrations in the United States reached 115,832 last year, by an industry group’s count. But in the eyes of reptile rescuer Joie Henney, there’s only one: 'Wally Gator.'