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28 July 2023
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Helicopter pilot, aged 41, dies fighting wildfires in Northern Alberta, Canada
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A 41-year-old helicopter pilot Ryan Gould, died Wednesday, 19 July 2023, in a crash while working water drops at a wildfire in Northern Alberta in Canada. The aircraft, a Bell 205A helicopter, crashed during fire fighting operations at around 18h00.
His helicopter was reported missing early Wednesday evening and the aircraft was later located near Haig Lake in northern Alberta province. It took two hours for rescuers to reach the crash site.
Gould was the sole occupant of the helicopter when it crashed near Haig Lake in north-western Alberta province and forestry workers were unable to resuscitate him, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said. He was declared dead at a nearby airport. The helicopter was operated by Valhalla Helicopters out of Kelowna.
The aircraft "collided with terrain during fire fighting operations," the country's Transportation Safety Board said
Ryan Gould was from Whitecourt, Alberta. “He travelled and made an impact wherever he went,” Ryan Gould’s family said in a statement today shared by family friend Kassy Goodyer.
Peace Arch News reported that a fundraiser has been started; Gould leaves behind a wife and two sons on their Gypsy Vanner horse farm in Whitecourt. Gould is the third fire fighter to die battling wildfires in Canada this year, during the worst season in Canada’s history.
The Canada Transportation Safety Board announced it was sending an investigative team to the scene of the crash south-east of the town of Manning near Peace River, Alberta.
Valhalla Helicopter Tours which is based in West Kelowna, British Columbia, acknowledged that it owns the helicopter, according to Castanet. The company provides fire support services, as well as consumer flights.
Todd Loewen, Alberta’s forestry minister, offered condolences to the pilot’s family, friends and colleagues on Thursday. “Today’s tragic news is a reminder that the heroes who put their lives on the line to protect us are men and women like you and me. They have families, friends, hopes and dreams,” he said in a written statement. “While we mourn a life lost in the line of duty, Alberta’s brave first responders continue to put themselves in danger every day to protect Alberta families.”
The crash comes days after two wildland fire fighters were killed combating blazes.
Nearly 900 fires are burning across Canada, including 553 that are considered “out of control”.
Experts, meanwhile, pointed out areas of improvement the government should focus on.
Neil McMillan, director of science and research at the International Association of Firefighters, said the unprecedented wildfire season Canada is experiencing underscores long-standing inadequacies when it comes to fire fighting resources.
He said more training is required and more resources are needed as urban and rural areas deal with out-of-control flames, adding that there should be restrictions on durations of deployment. “Fatigue, often times, plays a part in injuries as they occur, especially when you’re dealing with poor visibility conditions (and the) increased physical state the wildland fire fighters are in,” McMillan said.
As more urban areas (like Halifax and spots around Alberta, most recently) are threatened by wildfire, McMillan noted that fire fighters are prone to take more risks to protect life and property.
There needs to be more training and resources like PPE and equipment available for fire fighters dealing with those situations, he said.
The details about how the recent fire fighter deaths happened are yet to fully emerge but McMillan said that often a lack of training, resources and proper staffing can be at the root of incidents where death or injury do occur. “I think those would all be good places to start to really hopefully try to turn the ship around when it comes to these injuries,” he said.
Ken McMullen, president of the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs, said his organisation wants to see changes for both wildland and urban fire fighters.
McMullen wants an increase to the tax credit for volunteer fire fighters, more funding for mental health services and specific funding for specialty training and equipment. He also called for a national fire adviser for the federal government who could help with emergency management.
McMullen offered his condolences to those who knew the fire fighters who have died recently. “We need to remind government the important role that our fire fighters play, whether that be our wildland fire fighters or 126 000 fire fighters working in this country every single day,” he said. “Fire fighters are tired. Exhausted is probably an appropriate term to use. And right now, I’m very, very sad because of the current circumstances.”
Source: The Toronto Star, CBC News
His helicopter was reported missing early Wednesday evening and the aircraft was later located near Haig Lake in northern Alberta province. It took two hours for rescuers to reach the crash site.
Gould was the sole occupant of the helicopter when it crashed near Haig Lake in north-western Alberta province and forestry workers were unable to resuscitate him, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said. He was declared dead at a nearby airport. The helicopter was operated by Valhalla Helicopters out of Kelowna.
The aircraft "collided with terrain during fire fighting operations," the country's Transportation Safety Board said
Ryan Gould was from Whitecourt, Alberta. “He travelled and made an impact wherever he went,” Ryan Gould’s family said in a statement today shared by family friend Kassy Goodyer.
Peace Arch News reported that a fundraiser has been started; Gould leaves behind a wife and two sons on their Gypsy Vanner horse farm in Whitecourt. Gould is the third fire fighter to die battling wildfires in Canada this year, during the worst season in Canada’s history.
The Canada Transportation Safety Board announced it was sending an investigative team to the scene of the crash south-east of the town of Manning near Peace River, Alberta.
Valhalla Helicopter Tours which is based in West Kelowna, British Columbia, acknowledged that it owns the helicopter, according to Castanet. The company provides fire support services, as well as consumer flights.
Todd Loewen, Alberta’s forestry minister, offered condolences to the pilot’s family, friends and colleagues on Thursday. “Today’s tragic news is a reminder that the heroes who put their lives on the line to protect us are men and women like you and me. They have families, friends, hopes and dreams,” he said in a written statement. “While we mourn a life lost in the line of duty, Alberta’s brave first responders continue to put themselves in danger every day to protect Alberta families.”
The crash comes days after two wildland fire fighters were killed combating blazes.
Nearly 900 fires are burning across Canada, including 553 that are considered “out of control”.
Experts, meanwhile, pointed out areas of improvement the government should focus on.
Neil McMillan, director of science and research at the International Association of Firefighters, said the unprecedented wildfire season Canada is experiencing underscores long-standing inadequacies when it comes to fire fighting resources.
He said more training is required and more resources are needed as urban and rural areas deal with out-of-control flames, adding that there should be restrictions on durations of deployment. “Fatigue, often times, plays a part in injuries as they occur, especially when you’re dealing with poor visibility conditions (and the) increased physical state the wildland fire fighters are in,” McMillan said.
As more urban areas (like Halifax and spots around Alberta, most recently) are threatened by wildfire, McMillan noted that fire fighters are prone to take more risks to protect life and property.
There needs to be more training and resources like PPE and equipment available for fire fighters dealing with those situations, he said.
The details about how the recent fire fighter deaths happened are yet to fully emerge but McMillan said that often a lack of training, resources and proper staffing can be at the root of incidents where death or injury do occur. “I think those would all be good places to start to really hopefully try to turn the ship around when it comes to these injuries,” he said.
Ken McMullen, president of the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs, said his organisation wants to see changes for both wildland and urban fire fighters.
McMullen wants an increase to the tax credit for volunteer fire fighters, more funding for mental health services and specific funding for specialty training and equipment. He also called for a national fire adviser for the federal government who could help with emergency management.
McMullen offered his condolences to those who knew the fire fighters who have died recently. “We need to remind government the important role that our fire fighters play, whether that be our wildland fire fighters or 126 000 fire fighters working in this country every single day,” he said. “Fire fighters are tired. Exhausted is probably an appropriate term to use. And right now, I’m very, very sad because of the current circumstances.”
Source: The Toronto Star, CBC News