A Job Well Done

[gwk]

I was watching this evenings news on Global, and I saw the rescue on Green Lake, near Whistler ,B.C. by Steve Flynn, and crew.

I would just like to say, a job well done, and congratulations on the reward.

 

 

GWK

[twinstar_ca]

haven't seen anything on that, gwk... got some details??

[gwk]

The quick storey.

A Ice surfer, similar to a wind surfer, broke through the ice on Green lake, and the rescue services could not perform the rescue.

Steve was driving by, saw the problem, phoned Blackcomb Heli,s base about the problem, told them to prep a heli, and he and crew rescued the fellow.

Pretty dramatic footage on Global, and an award from the Governal General for bravery.

[porter]

haven't seen anything on that, gwk... got some details??

 

"On March 5, 2005, helicopter pilot Steven Flynn, search and rescue technician Vincent Massey and mountain rescuer Paul Skelton teamed up to rescue a stranded ice sailor who had broken through the ice on Green Lake, in Whistler. As he drove past the scene, Mr. Flynn soon realized that responding emergency personnel needed assistance and that a helicopter rescue was needed. He rushed to a nearby heliport where he met with Messrs. Skelton and Massey. All three boarded a helicopter and, within minutes, flew to the scene. While Mr. Flynn performed a precision hover, allowing the craft to get close to the ice, Messrs. Skelton and Massey reached for the hypothermic victim and pulled him safely into the helicopter."

[Guest bag swinnger]

Yes I too saw the story on Global, Well done.

[Jay Flight]

It’s Really Satisfying

 

Steve Flynn wins Medal of Bravery

 

On a windy, overcast day in March 2005, Steve Flynn of Blackcomb Helicopters hopped into his truck, as he did every day around the same time, and headed off home for lunch.

 

His route ran along the edge of Green Lake, about three kilometres north of the village of Whistler, B.C. As he drove down the road, he quickly became aware of a flurry of activity taking place out on the lake. Flynn pulled up along the side of the road where a group of onlookers were worriedly watching as rescuers attempted to reach a man who had fallen through the ice.

 

“There were a bunch of people standing there watching,” says Flynn, “and the rescuers were trying to get to this guy with a Zodiac. They were trying to break through the ice with it.”

 

The rescue was not going well. By the time Flynn arrived on the scene, the man had probably been in the water for almost 20 minutes. Flynn recognized two of the onlookers, Vincent Massey and Paul “Bones” Skelton, as guys he works regularly with on rescue missions.

 

Once Flynn, Bones and Massey had figured out what was going on, Flynn announced, “I’m going to get a helicopter.” Flynn and Bones ran to the truck and Flynn called the heliport. “Get a helicopter fired up and get the doors off of it!” he said.

 

Massey followed them in his own car and they all arrived at the hangar at the same time. “It took all of about three minutes to get there,” says Flynn. “When we arrived, Andrew Bradley, our operations manager, had the doors off the helicopter and it was running. We were just lucky that it was outside and ready to go.”

 

They quickly put Bones in a harness so he could stand on the skid of the Astar and not worry about falling off; and they rigged another harness to put under the guy’s arms in the water to secure him, so they could pull him out. When they arrived at the scene, it became evident that the harness plan was not going to work.

 

“The guy couldn’t do anything,” says Flynn. “He basically lifted a hand to grab onto the skid of the helicopter and started sinking under the water.” At that point, Bones grabbed him by the sleeve and pulled him up far enough to get ahold of his collar.

 

Flynn brought the skid down about eight inches into the water to get it by the guy’s chest, and make it easier for Bones. Bones got him by the belt and with Massey’s help, the men were able to pull him onto the floor of the helicopter. The actual on-scene rescue lasted only a few seconds.

 

With the victim, Jurg Humbel, on board, it was now a direct flight to the Whistler Medical Clinic. The Astar landed right in front of the building and the trio quickly got Humbel inside where the medical team started to warm him up. From the time the trio had initially sprung into action on the shore of the lake, only about six or seven minutes had passed before they arrived at the clinic.

 

Humbel was severely hypothermic. “This guy was the worst I’ve ever seen,” says Flynn. “He was probably only minutes away from dying.”

 

In appreciation for Flynn’s quick thinking and decisive action, he and his co-rescuers, Vincent Massey and Paul “Bones” Skelton, will be awarded the Governor General’s Medal of Bravery at a ceremony at Rideau Hall in Ottawa later this year.

 

In an interview with his hometown newspaper, The Prince George Citizen, Flynn was quoted as saying, “… I don\'t feel extremely brave. When someone is drowning, you just jump in and do what you have to.” With all of the problems the first responders were having with the boat, it was clearly the helicopter that really made the difference. As Flynn put it, “The helicopter saved his life.”

 

And while that is certainly true, it also takes the right men and women to save people, the ones who know how to use the helicopters, and that is why men such as Steve Flynn deserve to be honoured.

 

When I asked Flynn how it felt to save a human life, he replied modestly, “It’s great, it’s really satisfying when you can take all of your training and experience and with a helicopter, go out and save lives.”

 

That’s really what it all comes down to – discipline and training, mental and physical preparedness, the right person, and the helicopter. Congratulations Steve – you brought it all together.

[twinstar_ca]

awesome job and indeed, a big "good show" are deserved!! :up:

[ame206350]

I checked the Global National News with no luck. I wouldn't mind seeing the footage. Can anyone tell me what broadcast they saw it on? Thanks.

[3BX2]

I watched it.

I was very impressed with Steves smooth hands. He placed the Astar exactly where he needed to, and held it there as the rescuers pulled the man to safety. No easy feat hovering over ice, with one skid placed just below waterline. No easy feat with 200 + lbs being dragged onboard, with a CG nearing the RH limits.

For a pilot with as many hours as Steve, no sweat. He came acrosss with a lot of modesty in the interview, just as you would expect from an old pro.

 

The facts are....his quick actions and skills saved a life.

 

Bravo to Steve and Blackcomb.

[Skidz]

There's a piece about that rescue in the "other" canadian heli magazine...