CAF Domestic Disaster Relief Ops 2008 - 2017 [Merged]

[PPCLI Guy]

Not to get too technical, but the trigger point for a deliberate inundation a la Hoop and Holler is a flow rate of 52,000 cfs.  Current forecast peak in the period 11-15 Jul is now 46,000 cfs, which is well within the capacity of the Portage Diversion / Assiniboine Dike project to handle.  Nonetheless, the CF stands ready to return as required.

 

[The Bread Guy]

to all those helping

530 Deer Lake residents have now been safely evacuated from their community which is threatened by nearby forest fires.  Forest fires had been burning as close as 3.5 kilometres from the remote northwest Ontario community. At the request of Deer Lake First Nation Chief Roy Meekis and Band Council, the province and its municipal and federal partners coordinated the airlift of residents to the Regional Municipality of Greenstone, 615 kilometres to the southeast .... Federal Partners involved in the effort included the Canadian Forces, Health Canada and Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada ....

Source:  Government of Ontario news release, 8 Jul 11

The men and women of the Canadian Forces successfully completed the evacuation of residents from the Deer Lake First Nations Community, after wildfires in the area threatened their safety. This major rescue operation, which was completed within 24 hours, was undertaken at the request of the Government of Ontario .... On the evening of July 6, Lieutenant-General Walter Semianiw, Commander of Canada Command, quickly deployed two CC-130 Hercules aircraft from Winnipeg in response to this life-threatening emergency. Working through the night, the rescue crews assisted in the evacuation of approximately 510 residents from the danger zone, in collaboration with provincial and local authorities. Evacuees were flown to Greenstone, near Geraldton, ON ....

Source:  CF news release, 7 Jul 11 - a bit more here.

 

[Kat Stevens]

Meanwhile, back in Slave Lake Alberta...

 

[The Bread Guy]

The Government of Canada, through the work of the Canadian Forces, evacuated 125 residents of Cat Lake First Nation, Ontario, overnight, after wildfires in the area were threatening their welfare. This operation was undertaken at the request of the Government of Ontario .... Within an hour of the province’s request for airlift support, two CC-130 Hercules; one from 435 Transport and Rescue Squadron, based at 17 Wing Winnipeg and one from 424 Transport and Rescue Squadron, based at 8 Wing Trenton, were en route to the affected community. Less than three hours later, all the residents identified as a priority for evacuation by local authorities were safely on the ground in Kapuskasing, Ontario ....

Source:  CF news release, 14 Jul 11

 

[The Bread Guy]

Getting busier?

The Canadian Forces have supported municipal and provincial authorities in Ontario in evacuating 385 residents threatened by wildfires in the communities of Fort Hope and Sandy Lake. That number continues to climb as Canadian Forces aircraft continue the airlift of threatened Canadians out of Sandy Lake .... Beginning on Sunday, members of the Eabametoong First Nation were evacuated by the Canadian Forces from Fort Hope to Greenstone (Geraldton), Ontario using a CC-130 Hercules military transport aircraft tasked from 424 Squadron at 8 Wing Trenton. In total, 265 people were transported to safety, with the operation ceasing as of Monday morning. Ten members of the 3rd Canadian Rangers Patrol Group assisted in this evacuation effort by coordinating logistics, communicating with families and in the loading of the aircraft. Beginning today, members of the Sandy Lake First Nation were evacuated from Sandy Lake to Sioux Lookout using a CC-130 Hercules aircraft tasked from 435 Squadron at 17 Wing Winnipeg. In total, 120 people were transported to safety as of late Monday afternoon. Fourteen Canadian Rangers also supported the Sandy Lake evacuation ....

Source:  CF news release, 19 Jul 11

 

[The Bread Guy]

The Honourable Tony Clement, Minister for the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario (FedNor) and Member of Parliament for Parry Sound-Muskoka, and Greg Rickford, Member of Parliament for Kenora and Parliamentary Secretary for Aboriginal Affairs, were in Dryden today to meet with members of communities recently affected by wildfires ....  To date this month, the Canadian Forces have supported municipal and provincial authorities in Ontario in evacuating 1,896 residents threatened by wildfires .... Under the direction of Canada Command, the Canadian Forces have provided airlift using CC-130 Hercules military transport aircraft tasked from 8 Wing Trenton and 17 Wing Winnipeg. Since Monday evening, 386 additional people were evacuated from Sandy Lake and were brought to Sioux Lookout and Thunder Bay. Also, 123 people were evacuated from Keewaywin to Greenstone (Geraldton). Canadian Forces aircraft are currently involved in evacuating individuals from Sandy Lake .... Canada Command is continuing to monitor the current forest fire situation in the northern Ontario and remains prepared to support communities at risk of being affected by smoke or threatened by fire.

Source:  Government of Canada news release, 20 Jul 11

 

[Bass ackwards]

It sounds like they're having a real go-'round with those fires. A news report I read yesterday said there were already two thousand firefighters working on that.
Yesterday morning, it was so smoky here in Thompson that we were all wondering if we had a good fire burning just outside of town somewhere. Turned out to be smoke from the Ontario fires.

 

[Sparkplugs]

Just proud to see that the good ol' Hercs are helping out, and that my hometown (Greenstone) is taking in lots of evacs as well.  =)  My mother was telling me that there's so much ash in the air they can't leave the windows open because it covers everything!

 

[The Bread Guy]

Since Wednesday evening, the Canadian Forces have evacuated over 500 more Canadians from northern Ontario communities, which continue to be threatened by wildfires. Five Canadian Forces CC-130 Hercules transport aircraft began flying at first light this morning from Winnipeg, Manitoba, picking up people from Sandy Lake, Kingfisher Lake and Deer Lake First Nations communities and delivering them to Thunder Bay, Ontario .... Working alongside federal, municipal and provincial partners in the forest fire-ravaged communities, hundreds of Canadian Forces personnel, including aircrew, planning staff and Canadian Rangers, are involved in the ongoing disaster relief effort known as Operation FORGE .... Operation FORGE is the Canadian Forces contribution to the Whole-of-Government effort to assist the Government of Ontario in the emergency evacuation of Canadians threatened by the current wildfires. This support is currently provided mainly through airlift conducted by CC-130 Hercules aircraft from 14 Wing in Greenwood, Nova Scotia, 8 Wing in Trenton, Ontario, and 17 Wing in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Canadian Rangers from the 3rd Canadian Ranger Patrol Group are also assisting in some communities by coordinating the logistical plans, loading aircraft and communicating with the families of the community members. In addition to Canadian Rangers, the CF also deployed ground coordination teams to assist with organizing community members onto military aircraft for evacuation. Since the beginning of July, the Canadian Forces has evacuated over 3,000 residents from the communities of Deer Lake, Cat Lake, Fort Hope, Keewaywin, Kingfisher Lake, Kasabonika and Sandy Lake.

Source:  CF news release, 21 Jul 11

 

[The Bread Guy]

Operation FORGE: CF Air Operations Cease After Airlifting More Than 3,600 Northern Ontario Residents To Safety
NR11.087 - July 22, 2011

After successfully evacuating more than 3,600 residents from seven northern Ontario communities that had been threatened by wildfires, Canadian Forces airlift is no longer needed as part of the Province of Ontario-led evacuation efforts .... Six CC-130 Hercules military transport aircraft flew a total of 42 missions, evacuating 3,614 people from Deer Lake, Cat Lake, Fort Hope, Keewaywin, Kingfisher Lake, Kasabonika and Sandy Lake since July 6, 2011.  Half of those flights took place in the past three days .... Working alongside federal, provincial and municipal partners in evacuating citizens from the forest fire-ravaged areas of northern Ontario, hundreds of Canadian Forces personnel from across the country were involved in Operation FORGE.  These include air and ground crew from Winnipeg, Manitoba; Trenton, Ontario; and Greenwood, Nova Scotia, as well as planning staff from Petawawa, Toronto, Winnipeg and Ottawa. Over 50 Canadian Rangers from the 3rd Canadian Ranger Patrol Group were mobilized in 14 communities across northern Ontario to assist with the evacuations by working with military ground coordination teams.  Operation FORGE is the Canadian Forces contribution to the Whole-of-Government effort to assist the Government of Ontario in the emergency evacuation of Canadians threatened by wildfires.

 

[medic65726]

I was in Cat Lake that day, on a MEDEVAC aircraft, getting out some of the elders with complex health issues (none of which were helped by he smoke they were inhaling). Two hercs were flying back and forth to Greenstone (Geraldton) with loads of evacuees. Incredible well organized, they were really minimizing their time on the ground, with groups of residents organized in the terminal building, names being checked off on lists by the Rangers and then escorted to the Hercs by the SARTECHS. We were there until after 0100 and they worked through the night getting people out.
Sorry for the horrible photo, but there are not a lot of ramp lights in Cat Lake and I only had my phone to take pics. We did our part of course and took a plane full.

 

[john10]

Great work, Medic 

 

[The Bread Guy]

Manitoba Aboriginal Affairs Minister Eric Robinson says the province is considering asking the Canadian Forces for help getting fuel, food and other critical supplies to remote First Nations this winter.  Earlier this week, northern chiefs declared a state of emergency, hoping to spur the provincial and federal governments to create a contingency plan for the fact the winter road network is delayed by several weeks.  obinson said Friday he is preparing to do just that. "I'm prepared to contact the Canadian military to help out," he said. "There are some communities with airstrips which can accommodate bigger aircraft."  Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak Grand Chief David Harper was thrilled to hear the idea.  "That would be awesome," he said. "That would be exactly the kind of response we are looking for." ....

Winnipeg Free Press via Postmedia News, 14 Jan 12

More on the state of emergency declared by the Chiefs here.

 

[Rifleman62]

Earlier this week, northern chiefs declared a state of emergency

, but the province has not. The CF is not to be in completion with private enterprise. If an air carrier can do the task, then the job goes out to bid.

If an emergency is declared and federal assistance is requested, that is a different matter. The province still pays (unless the Feds forgive the cost), but probably at a smaller amount.

My understanding of Region Ops.

 

[The Bread Guy]

The CF is not to be in competition with private enterprise. If an air carrier can do the task, then the job goes out to bid.

I've heard the same thing in other situations, too.

 

[GAP]

It may be unseasonably warm in the southern parts, but that cold mantle has pretty much stalled over a large part of the areas where reserves are.....there will be winter roads, but we are likely only looking at 15-25 days of travel....it's going to be tight, but has happened before.

 

[The Bread Guy]

Edmonton soldiers are on alert this weekend. They may be called to help with a potential flooding disaster in British Columbia.

The Fraser River in B.C. is spilling over its banks, leaving many residents in the Okanagan and Chilliwack areas facing evacuation orders and flooded properties.

The river's water level is the highest the region stretching through the Fraser Valley to B.C.'s northern interior has seen in about 40 years.

With rain in the forecast for much of that region of B.C., the flooding is expected to get worse.

Owners of at least 20 homes in Abbotsford's Glenn Valley have been handed evacuation orders as the Fraser's water level is expected to peak at about seven metres over the weekend, possibly breaching dikes and sandbags desperate residents have piled up.

Three other evacuation orders have been issued for Chilliwack properties that are outside the system of dikes around the Fraser. However, officials say once rising water goes beyond a certain elevation, little can be done to protect properties ....

CTV.ca, 24 Jun 12

 

[The Bread Guy]

The Canadian Forces has decided to start charging municipalities and provinces to cover the costs whenever the military is called upon to help in emergencies such as floods and wildfires, according to internal Defence Department documents obtained by Postmedia News.

Military officials say federal budget cuts are to blame for the move, which ends a 15-year practice of waiving efforts to recover such costs and could force communities and provinces to think twice before calling the Canadian Forces for help.

Supporting provincial and municipal governments during natural disasters in Canada has long been considered one of military’s most important missions.

In the past two years, Canadian soldiers have helped fight flooding in Manitoba and Quebec and evacuated, housed and fed residents of northern Ontario communities threatened by forest fires.

The costs borne by the military varied from nearly $4 million for the flooding in Quebec and $3.8 million for flood mitigation in Manitoba, to $51,000 for evacuating and feeding the threatened communities in Northern Ontario.

The assistance was considered critical for protecting lives and livelihoods — and earned the Canadian Forces high praise from across the country ....

National Post/Postmedia News, 7 Jan 13

 

[GAP]

Military to charge provinces, communities for disaster relief
Lee Berthiaume January 7, 2013
Article Link

OTTAWA — The Canadian Forces has decided to start charging municipalities and provinces to cover the costs whenever the military is called upon to help in emergencies such as floods and wildfires, according to internal Defence Department documents obtained by Postmedia News.

Military officials say federal budget cuts are to blame for the move, which ends a 15-year practice of waiving efforts to recover such costs and could force communities and provinces to think twice before calling the Canadian Forces for help.

Supporting provincial and municipal governments during natural disasters in Canada has long been considered one of military’s most important missions.

In the past two years, Canadian soldiers have helped fight flooding in Manitoba and Quebec and evacuated, housed and fed residents of northern Ontario communities threatened by forest fires.

The costs borne by the military varied from nearly $4 million for the flooding in Quebec and $3.8 million for flood mitigation in Manitoba, to $51,000 for evacuating and feeding the threatened communities in Northern Ontario.

The assistance was considered critical for protecting lives and livelihoods — and earned the Canadian Forces high praise from across the country.

“Manitobans will never forget the unwavering support of the Canadian Forces during this unprecedented natural disaster,” Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger said in May 2011 after floods hit that province.

“Without hesitation, the Canadian Forces were here for us when we needed them and with their help we were able to avoid catastrophe on the Assiniboine River. Although the flood fight is not over yet, particularly on Lake Manitoba, military assistance has helped us get through the worst.”

But such good will may be in short supply going forward as provinces and municipalities, which have received help from the Canadian Forces without cost for more than a decade, will now be forced to pay for such assistance.

“Whilst DND has typically waived the cost of CF assistance to other government departments over the past 15 years,” reads a briefing note prepared for Defence Minister Peter MacKay this past July, “given present fiscal restraints, the department is no longer in a position to routinely waive the often significant costs associated with this assistance.

“Going forward, the waiving of such costs must be the exception, rather than the rule,” the note adds.

National Defence spokeswoman Tanya LeBlanc said in an emailed statement the department “takes its role as a strong steward of public resources very seriously and makes every effort to ensure sound financial management of taxpayer dollars.”

“DND has always had the authority to recoup costs,” she added.

“Given present fiscal restraints, DND has decided to exercise its authority to recoup costs related to support to other government departments when it deems it necessary.”
More on link

 

[PPCLI Guy]

Makes sense to me.