Multiple Casulty Scenerio - Downed Aircraft

Updated 16 October 2004
"Regional Dispatch to Zone 4, we have a report of a plane crash just off the runway at Halifax International Airport. There are multiple fires burning. The aircraft is a 747, time out, 4:01 (a.m.)"
These were the first words Zone 4 Firefighters heard on their radios and pagers...words they all prayed they would never hear.
In the early hours of Thursday morning 14 October 2004 at 3:52 a.m. the unthinkable occurred approximately a mile or less from where the scenario pictured below had taken place. A MK 747 cargo plane... on board a crew of seven... crashed across the Old Guysborough Road clearcutting the forest and braking apart burst into flames during take off on runway 06/24 at Halifax International Airport...There were no survivors.
At 6:35 a.m. I received a call at work from Michelle who was mobile to her EHS base. She simply said...”Dad...my scenario came to life...”.
Responding were many of the Fire Fighters pictured below including the Fire Fighter in the close-up with the little boy and District Chief "Blois" who is shown evaluating the scenerio... along with several of Michelle's close Paramedic friends and most of Chris's instructors. The crash occurred in their Zone. One of the Fire Fighters who responded told us that on arriving on the scene his thoughts turned to Michelle and the training exercise she had prepared for them never thinking and always hoping that it would never occur. He indicated the crash scene was so similar in many ways to the scenario that it was “eerie”...

That evening Chris who had plans to go to a movie reported to his Zone 4 Station and worked on clean-up. As Jr. Fire Fighters they are not permitted to respond to such scenes...thank God...as I know he will be seeing enough as is...however...in his case he is permitted to respond to wilderness wildfires.

........
Above are only two of the many brave men and women who responded to the above disaster. Both had taken part in the scenario shown below...

" Halifax Regional Fire and Emergency Services - Zone 4 "

PLEASE NOTE: Some of the following images are graphic in nature and may not be suitable for all ages...however they are here to illustrate what some people...perhaps a spouse...a lover...one of your children...a friend or a neighbour...have to do in training or for real so that you and I may get another chance to see another sunset...
The training that members of fire and emergency services must continually go through is a part of their lives that the public rarely gets the opportunity to see...especially the realistic scenarios which are set up with all the unexpected variables which are thrown in during the exercise. Everyone can prepare themselves for the "expected"...but the elite units are those trained to handle the "unexpected" without hesitation and as a team. That is the objective of these exercises...
In this case it was an aircraft with nine people aboard which had gone down. The call went out... however...it was not clear exactly what the situation was. The emergency units initially were under the impression that it was possibly a brush fire as the caller had apparently indicated "visible smoke"...however... when the first team reached the scene they were faced with something totally unexpected... a multiple casulty life and death situation which required immediate action.
I must point out here in fairness to the local ATC that if this did occur they would have noticed the aircraft disappearing off their radar and would have alerted the emergency services... nevertheless... this type of training working with unknowns is what keeps these units "sharp"...
The scenerio coordinator who was responsible for the planning and implementing this exercise including locating an aircraft....a crash location...victims...make-up...etc. was Fire Fighter Michelle d'Entremont. Both Michelle and Chris were involved in this one...Michelle as coordinator....Chris as a member of the rescue team and who by the way was totally unaware of the scenerio details his sister had been working on. It's no wonder I'm turning grey because as a dad I have to watch Michelle enter burning building and vehicles involved in highway crashes to check for or rescue victims for "real" and Chris is considering going into it too. No dad could be any more proud...but at times I ask myself..."where did I go wrong..."

The advance units arrive and begin setting up their staging area and command post...

A team is quickly dispatched into the woods to the location
of the smoke to investigate and evaluate the situation...

As the first team emerges through the woods...
Michelle on the left...who is "invisible" during the exercise...
takes her position to instruct the victims and continually change their status...

The scenerio coordinator informs the "victims" that the ball is now in play...

And then disappears into the smoke...

The first team arrives and locates the source of the smoke...

Carefully they approche the downed aircraft and quickly evaluate the situation...

A quick look and it's confirmed that there are casulties...and fatalities...and that this is NOT a brush fire...
Rapid communication with the command post at the staging area is initiated...
indicating that this is a critical situation and life support and rescue equipment is required NOW...

Additional teams are dispatched to the crash scene...

The captians without hesitation begin shouting out orders to the teams...
A comprehensive search of the area for victims is started...
Outside in the undergrowth...

Among the wreckage...under the aircraft...

And the terrible task of going in...

Hearts pounding they enter the unknown that once was an aircraft...

Inch by inch a team member worms his way through the inside wreckage...
He can hear screaming coming from the outside of the aircraft...
Straining...he listens...he can hear something...

Then he sees him through the smoke...a young boy...
Injured and trapped...

Slowly and carefully he makes his way to him...
And as he proceeds to evaluate the situation he comforts the young victim...

Outside another young victim is located...
Unconscious with possibly serious injuries to his head and arm...

A victim is found sitting quietly with injuries...
This one in a state of traumatic shock...just looking at her foot

Inside in what is left of the cockpit area another victim...
With a serious injury to the throat...quick action is required...

A faint cry for help is heard...

A victim is located under some wreckage...

And as the wreckage is removed she rolls screaming in agony...

A quick evaluation determines that this victim is in serious condition...

The seriously injured victim with possible back and neck injuries
is being prepared to be transported out of the crash area and to the nearest medical facility...
(Chris...2nd from left)

One of the Fire Fighter / Paramedics crawls over debris to recheck the victims vitals...
(Chris...2nd from right)

Very carefully a neck collar and back board are placed...

Click on picture above for a full size image.

PLEASE NOTE...the image is very graphic and may not be suitable
for the younger children...nevertheless...it's been linked to show
what these Fire Fighters and Paramedics see and do at training...and in real life calls...
Also remember...the "victim" is NOT injured...

Our young victim has now been extricated from inside the wreckage
and is waiting for his turn to be transported...

Click on picture above for a full size image.

PLEASE NOTE...again...the "victim" is NOT injured...
it's part of the training exercise...

A Fire Fighter explains to him what is happening and reassures him
that he's going to be OK...

Our young victim is being monitored and made comfortable...

And now being prepared to be transported out of the crash zone...

The District Chief....also "invisible"...monitors and evaluates the teams
as they solve problem after problem...crisis after changing crisis...all as one unit...

A “walking wounded” is spotted....
She has signs of facial injuries and possibly head injuries...she is not aware of what is happening...
When they attempt to help her she becomes progressively more combative..

Patiently a Fire Fighter helps the “walking wounded” victim dowm a steep embarkment...
the whole time attempting to calm her down...yet understanding what she is going through...

Sitting quietly...he listens as she talks...waiting for support to transport her
to a medical facility for further examination...

A Fire Fighter helps a victim throught the debris and comforts her...

The scenerio coordinator...a true blue Acadian...
can finally relax for the rest of the night...
as this ends another training exercise...
just one more of many they all know they must do...
so YOU will have a chance at surviving a life threatening situation.

Next time you see a Paramedic or a Fire Fighter...
remember the images you have just seen...
and say a silent thank you for what they have to do and see...
and still keep smiling...

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