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Oplopanax Horridus

Oplopanax Horridus

A veteran SAR volunteer's experiences in British Columbia

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Tag: helicopters

A response to North Shore Rescue

By Michael Coyle Posted on 16/08/2013 Posted in Blog Entry Tagged with funding, helicopters, HETS, long line, response, SAR, schedule, technical
A response to North Shore Rescue
Flying over Whistler Village in 2008

Adding to the discussion about the BC Search and Rescue system, I propose some solutions to the problems pointed out by Tim Jones of North Shore Rescue.

SAR Long Line capability “grounded”

By Michael Coyle Posted on 29/10/2012 Posted in Blog Entry Tagged with Equipment, helicopter, helicopters, HETS, risk, safety

Some information and clarification on the “grounding” of long line operations in BC and Canada

GPS Track as log book

By Michael Coyle Posted on 18/09/2012 Posted in Blog Entry Tagged with GPS, helicopters, Pitt Lake, technology
GPS Track as log book
GPS Track of helicopter flight into the Pitt River area.

Some notes from a recent search near Pitt Lake and musings on using a GPS track as a logbook.

Personal Locator Beacons from the Rescuer’s Perspective

By Michael Coyle Posted on 26/08/2011 Posted in Blog Entry, Essay Tagged with backcountry, beacon, case study, helicopters, HETS, management, map, personal locator beacon, PLB, rescue, safety, Tyler Wright, weather
Personal Locator Beacons from the Rescuer’s Perspective

A case study of a rescue with a Personal Locator Beacon in SouthWestern BC detailing rescuer’s difficulties accessing the location.

HETS Mountain Rescue in Yoho National Park

By Michael Coyle Posted on 15/08/2011 Posted in Blog Entry Tagged with accident, helicopters, HETS, rescue, search

News tonight of a rescue in Yoho National Park. Parks Canada pioneered the rescue technique SAR people in BC know variously as HETS (Human External Transport System), or “Class ‘D’” operations (referring to the Aviation regulations that govern people being …

HETS Mountain Rescue in Yoho National Park Read more »

On Rescuing Animals

By Michael Coyle Posted on 09/04/2011 Posted in Blog Entry Tagged with helicopters, news, rescue, SAR

Helping pets is a part of the rescue tradition, as we all know from the story of the firefighters climbing a tree to retrieve a cat. Although this image is a bit of a joke, it illustrates two things: the …

On Rescuing Animals Read more »

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