Air Force rewriting rules after rescuer's drowning death in icy Arctic waters

[GAP]

Air Force rewriting rules after rescuer's drowning death in icy Arctic waters
By: Bob Weber, The Canadian Press 03/14/2014
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/canada/air-force-rewriting-rules-after-rescuers-drowning-death-in-icy-arctic-waters-250381571.html

The Royal Canadian Air Force is considering a rewrite of its rules for high-risk search-and-rescue missions following the investigation of a dramatic Arctic rescue in which one of its members died.

"Appropriate regulations would serve to restrict operations when the risk is pre-determined to be too high," says the final report into the mission.

"They would override excessive self-reliance and would serve to temper the (search-and-rescue) motto “that others may live.” The motto was not intended to promote a rescue in the face of unreasonable risks."

Sgt. Janick Gilbert, 34, drowned in an otherwise successful effort to pluck two Inuit hunters from the dark, stormy and ice-choked waters of Hecla Strait on Oct. 27, 2011.

The report says freezing water leaked into Gilbert's drysuit after he parachuted down with two other rescuers. The report suggests he became weakened by hypothermia and was bounced out of his life raft. It drifted away from him after a tether attaching him to the boat tore loose and he was unable to swim after it and climb back in.

The report's strongest conclusions relate to helping rescuers such as Gilbert, who was the team leader, make better plans for such missions — including how to decide when it's simply too dangerous to jump.

more on link

 

[Journeyman]

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/canada/air-force-rewriting-rules-after-rescuers-drowning-death-in-icy-arctic-waters-250381571.html[/url]

Investigators found a significant amount of water inside his clothing. One of the other rescuers had noticed Gilbert's zipper hadn't been done up all the way before the jump.

The SAR Team Member apparently made a poor call in not informing the Team Lead about his equipment.  Nothing in the article indicated the death had anything to do with the TL's decision-making or whether he had yet another checklist in hand to cover the chronically risk-adverse and bureaucratic CAF leadership.

This merely highlights the wide (widening?) gap between those at the pointy end doing the job and those back in comfy offices talking about it.  Because although the article blithely casts it aside as a one-liner, the rescue was a success -- that's their job.

So once again Janick, RIP.  You did the right thing. 

 

[xo31@711ret]

well said JR; Sgt. Janick Gilbert, rest in peace -  a true Canadian Hero 

 

[Eye In The Sky]

I don't have much nice to say about that article.  Joe and Jane Taxpayer reading it might get the impression it was a bunch of amateurs who launched that day. 

That's all I think I can say IAW the site guidelines so  :-X. 

 

[Retired and Broken]

I'm struggling with some of the wording in this article as it is extremely misleading through lack of follow up information. IMO, this article verges on finger pointing. I can only hope and assume that the actual FS report contains more info.

In the end nobody will truly ever know what happened as Janick was alone. I can tell you one fact though. Those two Inuit hunters would have died had the SAR Techs not jumped. I truly hope this story is published in its entirety some day as it is one of our trades most heroic. I am humbled by the actions of my friends.


Temper 'That Others May Live' indeed...

 

[observor 69]

Article from the Toronto Star on the rescue mission:

How did search-and-rescue mission to Igloolik go wrong?
http://www.thestar.com/news/insight/2012/04/20/how_did_searchandrescue_mission_to_igloolik_go_wrong.html

 

[Eye In The Sky]

I know there was a recent thread reference a news article about this mission, however as some of the wording in that article was....can't think of a nice word...I've purposely posted this here out of respect for Sgt Janick Gilbert, SAR Tech.

RIP 

RCAF Flight Safety Investigative Report

 

[observor 69]

Article from the Toronto Star on the rescue mission:

How did search-and-rescue mission to Igloolik go wrong?
http://www.thestar.com/news/insight/2012/04/20/how_did_searchandrescue_mission_to_igloolik_go_wrong.html

And more on the investigation here:

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2014/03/24/death_of_military_rescuer_prompts_call_for_change.html

 

[Humphrey Bogart]

The SAR Team Member apparently made a poor call in not informing the Team Lead about his equipment.  Nothing in the article indicated the death had anything to do with the TL's decision-making or whether he had yet another checklist in hand to cover the chronically risk-adverse and bureaucratic CAF leadership.

This merely highlights the wide (widening?) gap between those at the pointy end doing the job and those back in comfy offices talking about it.  Because although the article blithely casts it aside as a one-liner, the rescue was a success -- that's their job.

So once again Janick, RIP.  You did the right thing. 

:goodpost:

Milpoints inbound

 

[The Bread Guy]

I know there was a recent thread reference a news article about this mission, however as some of the wording in that article was....can't think of a nice word...I've purposely posted this here out of respect for Sgt Janick Gilbert, SAR Tech.

RIP 

RCAF Flight Safety Investigative Report

And, to provide a  bit of plainer-language context, here's what the RCAF Info-machine had to say ....

The Flight Safety Investigation Report (FSIR) regarding the death of search and rescue technician Sergeant Janick Gilbert on October 27, 2011, is now available on the Air Force Directorate of Flight Safety website.

On October 26, 2011, the day before the occurrence, two men in a small open aluminum boat became stranded in an ice field approximately eight nautical miles southeast of Igloolik, Nunavut. A search and rescue (SAR) CC-130 Hercules aircraft from Trenton, Ontario, was dispatched to the area and, upon locating the men in a raft, a decision was made to parachute in three SAR technicians to provide assistance before it became dark.

The first SAR technician landed in the water, swam to the raft and assisted the men. The second SAR technician landed in the water, was unable to swim to the raft and commenced his own survival procedures. Approximately four hours later, a CH-149 Cormorant helicopter hoisted the two SAR technicians and the two rescued men aboard, all unharmed.  One hour later, the Cormorant crew located the unresponsive body of the SAR technician team leader, Sergeant Janick Gilbert.  He was flown to the Igloolik airport and transported to the local health centre where, sadly, attempts to resuscitate him were unsuccessful.

The investigation focused on SAR technician personal life support equipment and the regulations governing rescue activities and has produced several recommendations for preventative measures, several of which have already been implemented with the aim of preventing similar occurrences in the future.