HFRS Recert with Blackcomb Helicopters

NSR HFRS members participated in a "recert" with Blackcomb Helicopters in preparation for the Olympics. This satisfies the legal requirement with Transport Canada that NSR personnel must train annually with all their helicopter charter providers. It also gave members a chance to familiarize themselves with the pilots and with the aircraft that we will be utilizing during the Olympic Games period. Talon Helicopters was and will continue to be our primary helicopter provider before and after the Olympics. Blackcomb Helicopters won a PEP contract to provide a standby rescue helicopter during the games, and as part of that contract, the government has provided NSR/SAR with number of flight hours to be used for training, familiarization and orientation to the North Shore terrain.

Included in this exercise where: NSR HFRS technicians, NSR HFRS aware members, CARDA handlers and their dogs. The recert included the following components:

• Operational briefing
• Introductions (pilots and aircrew)
• Dryland rigging of helicopter
• 150 foot longline insertions to mountain gulley (in tandem and with CARDA dogs)
• 200 foot longline insertions to mountain gulley (in tandem)
• 200 foot rescue basket extraction from river bank
• Debrief, cleanup and paperwork

Overall a good experience for all members that were involved. Having regular exercises such as these keep all our skills honed and at the ready to render aid to the public.

For pictures of this training exercise check out our Flickr Page or Facebook Page.

2010 HFRS Training Exercise

North Shore Rescue HFRS technicians were joined by their fellow members as well as members from the Canadian Forces, RCMP/ISU, WVPD, Coquitlam SAR, Lions Bay SAR and the Canadian Avalanche Rescue Dog Association (CARDA) in a training exercise Sunday. HFRS techs honed their skills inserting and extracting personnel into steep terrain, requiring transfering members from the long-line to a anchored tether on the ground. This operation was run out of the Capilano Watershed and the insertion/extraction point was on the front side of Grouse Mountain near the BCMC.

This training exercise involved two machines from Talon Helicopters. The AS350 B2 (C-FTHY) flown by Derek Riendeau and the AS355 flown by owner Peter Murray. Helicopters flew members into and out of the site in an alternating pattern, communicating tactically via a simplex frequency to coordinate the movement of personnel. The key idea behind this exercise involved the need to be able to put many members on the ground quickly were light or weather could be a limiting factor on the rescue outcome. By having the ability to put a lot of manpower on the ground quickly, NSR can respond to calls more safely and increase the liklihood of a positive outcome.

Members also practiced extractions from terrain utilizing a rescue basket, suspended from the long line. This device is primarily designed for river/water rescue, however, it's application for mountain rescue is indispensible. If faced with a dangerous terrain or limited time, a stranded climber could be directed into the basket and flown a short distance to safety.

Check out more pictures of this exercise on the NSR Flickr page at http://www.flickr.com/northshorerescue

New technology lets NSR members search for avalanche burial victims from the air

NSR members have received the Barryvox VS 2000 Pro External helicopter based avalance transceiver for use in SAR operations. This unit is suspended below the helicopter and allows the technician to locate a burial victim (who is wearing a transceiver) without ever setting foot on the ground. This technology makes our lives safer in hazardous avi terrain, allows for quicker pin pointing, and reduces overall risk.

Recently members trained with this unit in the Seymour river valley along with pilots from Talon Helicopters and their new AS355 TwinStar Helicopter.



More information can be obtained on this unit at the following links:
http://www.girsberger-elektronik.ch/media/documents/HEA_ADE.pdf

http://www.datasheetarchive.com/datasheet-pdf/012/DSA00204901.html

http://beaconreviews.com/transceivers/Comparison.asp

Helicopter Flight Rescue System Exercise 2009

North Shore Rescue members, HFRS technicians, and kayak response team members gathered along with BC Parks rangers on Sunday for our annual recurrency, HFRS awareness and lead-up to a large scale January excercise on Grouse Mountain. The day consisted of a briefing in the morning, followed by in and out rescue evolutions utlizing "screamer suits" for rapid deployment. In the afternoon, members practiced with the river rescue basket by doing short-haul and in-out trips.

Although the weather was far from cooperative, conditions did permit for the large majority of the training/recurrency/lead-up to go ahead.

Overall a busy weekend for rescue volunteers; with hover entry/exit training on Saturday, and Helicopter Flight Rescue System training on Sunday. This level of dedication keeps us ready to respond to a call, and allows us to best serve the public interest. Although these training sessions are of a significant cost to the NSR society, the safety and performance results are without a price tag.

One of the key features of this exercise is the demonstrable need for a non-military rescue helicopter to be made available during the Olympics for "outside the fence" calls. NSR has a strong relationship with Talon Helicopters, who have both the right aircraft (small, powerful aircraft capable of safely entering tight terrain) and the expertise (flying ability, terrain knowledge, and invaluable familiarity with local SAR teams) to perform safe, efficient and life-saving operations that may otherwise be unavailable during the 2010 winter games. It is hoped that the provincial government will provide a standby civilian helicopter for local SAR teams during the event.