04 November, 2015 VOLUME 64, ISSUE 19 FREE Visit us online at: www.thevoxair.ca or 435 Sqn Deploys to Grand Prairie for SAREX Search and Rescue Technicians from 435 Transport and Rescue Sqn practice C-spine precaution on a simulated plane crash casualty during the SAREX in Grande Prairie AB on Oct 6, 2015. For more, see page 2. Photo: Cpl Gabrielle DesRochers A Word From GCWCCC CFB Winnipeg Remembrance Com Rec Wing Admin The Wing Ball Hockey Honours and Day Timings Hosts a Branch Cleans Commander Tournament Awards Hair Raising Veterans’ Scores Big Halloween Tombstones Party at Brookside In this issue: In this Page 3 Page 4 Page 6-7 Page 10 Page 13 Page 14 Sharon Jim Deanne 2255-G Ness Avenue (at Whytewold Rd.) Blady Rondeau Crothers TELEFLORA Ph.: 885-3665 or 832-6978 MLA for MLA for MLA for DOMENICA’S Kirkfield Park Assiniboia St. James DAILY FLORAL DESIGN Send flowers to your loved one SPECIALS Around the world or in the city Free Delivery to both North & South Base Locations 204-832-2318 | SharonBlady.ca 204-888-7722 | JimRondeau.ca 204-415-0883 | DeanneCrothers.ca 2 VOXAIR, 17 Wing Winnipeg, 04 November, 2015 435 Sqn Heads to Grande Prairie SAREX By Sgt Bill McLeod can learn to function in the face of hor- 17 Wing Photojournalist rible injuries. Grande Prairie, Alberta - Military For Captains Jesse McGrath Kevin aircraft and civilian helicopters flew low Coulombe, the exercise presented them over the ground where Search and Rescue with the opportunity to become qualified Technicians, firefighters, and search and as Searchmasters. As part of their train- rescue volunteers practiced their skills ing they had to plan and respond to a res- from October 6 to 8 as part of the 435 cue based a scenario. The scenario went Transport and Rescue Squadron hosted something like this: a small aircraft was search and rescue exercise (SAREX) run declared overdue at its final destination out of the Grande Prairie Airport. with its last known location being some- Over 100 military members, 2 CC-130 where in the Peace Country region. The Hercules from 435 Squadron, a CC-115 Searchmasters oversaw the setup of the Buffalo from 442 Transport and Rescue search headquarters and ran the exercise Squadron from Comox, BC, and a CC-138 search operation which included plotting Twin Otter from 440 Transport Squadron, search patterns and dispatching search joined forces for this exercise along with aircraft while also dealing with questions members and aircraft belonging to the from the media and trying to assist dis- Civil Air Search and Rescue Association traught relatives. (CASARA), members from the County The Shock Trauma Air Rescue Service of Grande Prairie Regional Fire Service, (STARS) provided medical evacuation members from Technical Search and Res- for the two days of the exercise. For the A Search and Rescue Technician from 435 T and R Sqn discusses an approach to evacu- cue Grande Prairie, and members of the STARS pilots it was a unique opportunity ate the casualties of a simulated plane crash with STARS Air Ambulance paramedics from Grande Prairie Shock Trauma Air Rescue to practice their procedures with other Grande Prairie AB, during the SAREX in Grande Prairie AB on Oct 6, 2015. Photo: Cpl Gabri- Service. organizations including the Canadian elle DesRochers The exercise consisted of groups work- Armed Forces. ing engaging in multiple scenarios to give “We are different from the military,” all the participants practice in their area said STARS Aircraft Captain Thierry of responsibility. Not only is the SAREX ‘Terry” Breuls de Tiecken, a former Bel- designed to exercise the squadron’s abil- gian Air Force pilot. “Only 5 per cent of ity to deploy for a major search but the ex- our time is spent training. Ninety-five per ercise also enables the squadron’s mem- cent of the time we are flying operation- bers to gain new qualifications and renew ally to an actual accident scene.” currencies, especially in the case of pilots, 435 Squadron’s CASARA liaisons Cap- air combat systems officers, loadmasters tain Ben Toenders and Search and Res- and Search and Rescue Technicians (SAR cue Technician Master Corporal J.P. Cos- Techs). sette tested and evaluated the response of Search and Rescue Technicians the CASARA group. In the air CASARA jumped into a multiple casualty event on members flew search patterns looking for the first day of the exercise. Similarly, on a simulated small aircraft crash while on the final day of the exercise, they jumped the ground other CASARA members lo- into a mass casualty event which this cated an emergency locator transmitter. time included a simulated accident scene In Canada, due to the vast size and where an aircraft crashed into a truck. range of environments, search and rescue For the mass casualty scenario, Grande is conducted in cooperation with many Prairie firefighters and members of Tech- organizations and volunteers. The Royal nical Search and Rescue acted as first re- Canadian Air Force, the Canadian Coast sponders and evacuated casualties up a Guard, and the RCMP are the main gov- Search and Rescue Technicians from 435 Sqn plan an approach to rescue the casualties cliff from a river valley. ernment agencies involved in SAR but from a simulated plane crash during the SAREX in Grande Prairie AB, on Oct 8 2015. Photo: Cpl Gabrielle DesRochers Corporal Stephanie Simpson of 23 there are many civilian air, ground, and Health Services provided reality to the maritime volunteer organizations that SAR Tech training by applying disgust- provide essential services in those times ingly real looking moulage to air cadet ca- of need. Search and Rescue exercises such sualty volunteers. The theory of realistic as the one held early in October gives the injuries in training is so that SAR Techs agencies a chance to work together and learn from each other. “We learn something VOXAIR every time we come to one of these,” said Wes OFFICE HOURS CONTACT Cooke, Zone Commander Monday to Friday Ad Sales/Main Office Submissions/Reporter for CASARA in Red Deer, 0830 -1500 hrs (204) 833-2500 ext 4120 (204) 833-2500 ext 6976 Alberta, and one of the Accounting [email protected] Searchmasters for the (204) 833-2500 ext 4121 +VOXAIR@PersSvcs@Winnipeg VOXAIR STAFF CASARA group at the SAREX. LCol Danielle Clouter Brittany Nordman Traci Wright Wing Admin O Layout Designer Proofreading (204) 833-2500 ext 5281 Martin Zeilig Capt McCulloch-Drake Rick Harris Photojournalist Wing Public Managing Editor (204) 833-2500 ext 6976 Affairs Officer (204) 833-2500 ext 4299 Maureen Walls Sgt Bill McLeod Michael Sherby Sales Coordinator Wing Public Affairs Voxair Manager (204) 895-8191 Photojournalist (204) 833-2500 ext 4120 Misra Yakut Printed By Accounting Derksen Printers 204-326-3421 Visit Us Online: www.thevoxair.ca VOXAIR is the unofficial Service newspaper of 17 Wing Winnipeg and is published every two weeks under the authority of the Wing Commander, Col Cook. Opinions and views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the Editor, the Wing Commander or the Department of National Defence. The Editor reserves the right to edit or reject any editorial or advertising material. 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Publications Mail Agreement No. 1482823 thevoxair VOXAIR, 17 Wing Winnipeg, 04 November, 2015 3 RCAF Band Singer Belts Out National Anthems at Jays Playoff Game By Martin Zeilig tions at Rogers Centre. Then we did the sound check, Voxair Photojournalist and then I came back later to practise with the Colour Like many Canadians, Sergeant David Grenon, a Guard, who were CAF personnel. Finally I returned vocalist with the RCAF Band at 17 Wing, spent the eve- that same evening to perform the anthems. During that ning on Monday, October 19 cheering on the Blue Jays. whole day, I was focussed on getting over the flu bug us- But Sgt Grenon had a much better view of the game ing medications to overcome the symptoms.” than most Canadians. That’s because he was singing the Understandably, he said the entire experience was American and Canadian national anthems at the start nerve wracking. of Game 3 in Toronto, as the Jays strived to beat the “I’m used to singing anthems in many different ca- Kansas Royals in the American League playoff series. pacities, including at Winnipeg Jets and Ottawa Sena- Despite battling the flu, Sgt Grenon belted out those tors games, for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, and many tunes to the cheers of over 50,000 thousand fans at the times for the Winnipeg Goldeyes too,” said Sgt Grenon. game, and to a televised audience of tens of millions. “But this was the first time I’ve performed at a Major It all began on October 15 when Sgt Grenon received League Baseball game. If I wasn’t under the weather I a call from the Public Relations office of the Chief of De- would have felt more confident in myself.” fence Staff in Ottawa asking for his participation in the Despite his own trepidation, he has received many upcoming game.