# ORNGE Air Ambulance Down in 2013 - 4 Fatalities



## WingsofFury (31 May 2013)

RIP to all involved, and condolences to their families.



> ORNGE helicopter crash kills four in northern Ontario
> 
> Two pilots and two paramedics aboard an ORNGE helicopter that crashed after takeoff from Moosonee have died, the provincial air ambulance service said Friday.
> 
> ...



http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2013/05/31/ornge_helicopter_crashes_in_northern_ontario.html

_Title changed for clarity_


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## The Bread Guy (31 May 2013)

From the PM via Twitter:


> Condolences to the families of the 4 victims of the Northern Ontario air ambulance crash last night. You are in my thoughts and prayers.


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## Strike (31 May 2013)

Sad, sad news.  My thoughts go out to the families of those affected.


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## GAP (31 May 2013)

> Sikorsky S76 helicopter



Is that not the same type that had the oil platform disaster?


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## The Bread Guy (31 May 2013)

> "I am heartbroken at the tragic news of the loss of two pilots and two paramedics in an Ornge air ambulance crash early this morning near Moosonee.
> 
> Today we mourn the loss of *Captain Don Filliter of Skead, Ontario; First Officer Jacques Dupuy, of Otterburn-Park, Quebec; Primary Care Flight Paramedic Dustin Dagenais, of Moose Factory, Ontario; and Primary Care Flight Paramedic Chris Snowball, of Burlington, Ontario.*
> 
> ...


Statement by Ontario Minister of Health & Long-term Care Deb Matthews, 31 May 13


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## Good2Golf (31 May 2013)

Thoughts and prayers to the family, friends and colleagues of the four.  RIP.

GAP, this is an older, smaller helicopter by Sikorsky, an S-76.   Cougar 71 was a larger S-92.


Regards
G2G


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## Eye In The Sky (1 Jun 2013)

RIP.

Lord, guide the men and women who fly

Through the great spaces of the sky;
 Be with them traversing the air
 In darkening storms or sunshine fair.

Thou who dost keep with tender might
 The balanced birds in all their flight,
 Thou of the tempered winds, be near,
 That, having Thee, they know no fear.

Control their minds with instinct fit
 What time, adventuring, they quit
 The firm security of land;
 Grant steadfast eye and skillful hand.

Aloft in solitudes of space,
 Uphold them with Thy saving grace.
 O God, protect the men and women who fly
 Through lonely ways beneath the sky.


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## medicineman (2 Jun 2013)

RIP folks  

MM


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## mariomike (2 Jun 2013)

Condolences to the families of the pilots and paramedics.

"God grant me the strength to deliver emergency medical care, with skillful hands and a compassionate heart.

Give me the courage and ability to render my professional skills, when called upon and lives are on the line.

Help to guide these hands with love and care as I bring new life into this world.

Let me ease the suffering of others from day to day.

And finally, to help me accept my fate and the fate of others, with a clear mind and an open heart.

By the grace of God I go."

Rick Boustead
Toronto EMS

There is a condolence book at Emergency Services HQ and flags at City paramedic stations have been lowered.


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## mariomike (7 Jun 2013)

"No mechanical problems in fatal Ornge crash: investigators"
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/sudbury/story/2013/06/04/sby-transportation-safety-board-sudbury-moosonee-fatal-helicopter-crash-voice-recorder.html

"The Transportation Safety Board says there is no indication that mechanical problems were a factor in the fatal Ornge helicopter accident near Moosonee, Ont. last Friday."


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## Thompson_JM (11 Jun 2013)

Anyone who wants to help, there is a T-shirt campaign going on, 

http://teespring.com/7793

as well as a benevolent fund which accepts donations;

http://www.orngeemployees.org/


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## The Bread Guy (17 Jun 2013)

> Two weeks after the fatal crash of an air ambulance helicopter crash in northern Ontario, ORNGE has temporarily suspended night-time chopper flights to 58 remote sites across the province.
> 
> While the cause of the May 31 midnight crash in Moosonee may not be known for many months yet, the air ambulance service says it is taking the actions for “maximum safety.”
> 
> ...


_Toronto Star_, 15 Jun 13


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## Teager (17 Jun 2013)

A few things here. The original crash happened after take off not on landing. If pilots have been flying in these remote locations for however long ORNGE Air has been operating I would imagine that they would be pretty good at their job and landing with minimal lighting with the cones. Why can't some sort of lights be installed at the landing pad?

I would have assumed pilots would have had some sort of training for these conditions in the first place. I'm for more training as it only improves on skills but i'm not seeing the connection to the crash.


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## GAP (17 Jun 2013)

They are Covering their Asses by looking like they are doing something tangible... :


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## mariomike (17 Jun 2013)

Tommy said:
			
		

> Anyone who wants to help, there is a T-shirt campaign going on,
> 
> http://teespring.com/7793
> 
> ...



Their memorial service is taking place tomorrow at the Toronto Police College.

This tragedy highlights the importance of Line of Duty Death ( LODD ) survivor benefits in Emergency Services. They may vary, depending on collective agreements negotiated with individual municipalities and employers.

There is also Ontario WSIB.

The Ontario Government offers a Public Safety Officers’ Survivors Scholarship Fund for children and spouses of public safety officers who die in the line of duty. It pays for the cost of post-secondary education, up to five years, including tuition, books, living and accommodation expenses.

There is lobbying for the creation of a national Public Safety Officer Compensation ( PSOC ) benefit in the amount of $300,000, indexed annually, for families of public safety officers who are killed or permanently disabled in the line of duty. Regardless of province. This would be especially helpful for services with volunteers and part-timers, as they may not be adequately covered by LODD agreements with their municipality / employer.


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## Hunter (17 Jun 2013)

GAP said:
			
		

> They are Covering their Asses by looking like they are doing something tangible... :



Perhaps you might consider that this might be like some stories you read in the media about the CF; that there may be a lot more to the story than has been made public so far.


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## Good2Golf (17 Jun 2013)

Without prejudice to Don and his crew, "black hole" arrivals and departures are challenging at the best of times.  Many of the procedures to maintain situational awareness and avoid spatial disorientation for operating un-aided (no NVGs) are similar for both approaches and departures.  I think it is appropriate that Ornge review and impose certain restrictions and additional procedures and training as interim measures to ensure safe operations can be maintained until a full assessment of the situation leading to the loss of the crew and aircraft is completed.  

Regards
G2G


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## Civvymedic (19 Jun 2013)

Today we held the final memorial for the 4 fallen. For those interested here is a link to the video of the service followed by a fly past at the end with piper John Lyndsay from the Ontario Paramedic pipes and drums.

It was nice to see and speak with members of the Canadian Forces who attended today and at Chris's funeral. I had a nice chat today with the CO of 424 sqn and some SAR tech's. 

Here is the link. http://www.rogerstv.com/page.aspx?lid=237&rid=16&gid=114628

Heroes in life, not death. RIP gentlemen.


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## mariomike (15 Jun 2016)

Jun 15, 2016 

Oversight, organizational issues led to 2013 Ornge crash, TSB says
http://www.680news.com/2016/06/15/oversight-organizational-issues-led-to-2013-ornge-crash-tsb-says/
Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) has revealed that significant gaps in oversight and organizational problems in the Ornge air ambulance service resulted in the 2013 crash that killed four people.


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## Fishbone Jones (15 Jun 2016)

Ah yes. Almost forgot about *that* liberal boondoggle. Another McSquinty scandal and perpetuated by the wicked witch of Ontaristan.


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## mariomike (28 Jul 2016)

Jul 28, 2016 

$3.7 M lawsuit launched in 2013 fatal Ornge helicopter crash in Moosonee
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/sudbury/ornge-snowball-lawsuit-1.3698157
2 pilots, 2 two paramedics died when their helicopter crashed near Moosonee, in northern Ontario.

One of the families of the four people killed in a 2013 Ornge Air Ambulance crash in Moosonee is suing.
Christopher Snowball's family is seeking more than $3 million from Ornge, Transport Canada and two unnamed Transport Canada inspectors.
Snowball was a 38-year-old paramedic from Burlington.


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