Feb. 22, 2006
A Cormorant crew from 19 Wing assisted in the medical evacuation of an 11-month-old infant boy early this morning. The Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Victoria tasked the CH-149 Cormorant helicopter and crew to take an Infant Transport Team (ITT) to Bella Bella to pick up the infant, who had an unstable respiratory condition.
The two ITT personnel flew into 19 Wing Comox and joined the Cormorant crew on the flight to Bella Bella, where the landing strip is not equipped with lights; therefore, the Cormorant crew was the only aircrew equipped to land in the area. The aircrew use their night vision goggles when faced with a challenge of this nature.
Search and Rescue technicians Sgt. Ron Barrow and Cpl. Mark Salesse accompanied the ITT personnel to the Bella Bella hospital. The infant was then prepared for flight and transported to the Cormorant with his parents.
The Cormorant crew, including Capt. Hans Kleemann, aircraft commander, Capt. Rob Johnson, first officer, and Master Cpl. Brian Schoneberg, then flew to Port Hardy, where a British Columbia Air Ambulance Learjet was waiting to take the infant, his parents and the ITT personnel to the Children's Hospital in Vancouver.
The CH-149 Cormorant helicopter belongs to 442 Squadron at 19 Wing Comox. The Squadron is on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week to respond to air and marine disasters, as well as humanitarian missions as required. 19WNR: 06/013
