“Anything they want, we do.”
That’s the working mandate of 14 Wing Greenwood’s Op Lentus support of firefighting aircrew from across Canada, using the wing’s airfield and support services since August 15 to help battle the 8,500 hectare wildfire in West Dalhousie, Annapolis County.
“It’s been very busy, but it’s long days for them – so anything we can do,” says Lieutenant Jeremy Zinck.
The West Dalhousie fire started August 13. One hundred homes in the area were evacuated the next day and, over the August 23 weekend, high winds doubled the fire’s spread, damaging or destroying 20 homes and 11 other structures. The evacuation order extended, with hundreds more homes at risk.
The Canadian Armed Forces sets Op Lentus in motion when requested by civil authorities and non-governmental partners to assist in domestic and international disasters or major emergencies. 14 Wing Greenwood launched Op Lentus 25-07 when the Province of Nova Scotia’s request for federal assistance was approved August 16.
Zinck, an air operations officer with 405 (Long Range Patrol) Squadron, was tasked to turn his skill set managing squadron aircrew assignments, aircraft maintenance, scheduling and even flyovers and airshows; into Op Lentus on-the-ground response. That included “hijacking” an office at the wing’s Air Movements Unit, and quickly getting phone calls, emails and connections out to a network of wing supports.
14 Wing has been providing airfield parking, including refueling and wash bay services, Annapolis Café meals and boxed lunches, Annapolis Mess recreation areas, the base gym, accommodations, transport and more. From August 15, the wing has hosted a changing mix of four Northwest Territories 802 FireBoss Air Tractor water skimmers and a King Air “bird dog” aircraft, two Manitoba CL-415 super scoopers with their Aero Commander bird dog; two helicopter groups, including two Seaview Helicopters S60 Black Hawks and six Canadian Helicopters S61 Bell 212.
“At one point, we had 300 ground personnel expected,” says Zinck of the early Op Lentus outline, including aircraft technicians and ground firefighters, in addition to the aircrew. “There were definitely some moments we were looking around, thinking, ‘we’d have this place pretty packed!’ But, as more information came in, that was re-adjusted. We’ve got 40 people here at this point.”
Zinck worked on last year’s Op Lentus in Winnipeg in a smaller capacity, not fully qualified in his trade at the time. Now, in Greenwood, “this is probably the most intense thing I’ve ever been involved with, on base or deployed.
“Satisfying? Exhausting? A little bit of Column A and a little bit of Column B. This has been very satisfying. We’re working to support some very cool people, and it’s a treat watching them take off in the mornings quite close to each other – not a formation, but there’s one, then another, then another….
“I can hear the aircraft going over my own home – and I know who it is now. These are an outstanding group of people.”
The aircraft return to 14 Wing several times a day to refuel and for a crew break, often radioing ahead so 14 Wing fuel trucks, packed lunches or hot food and even parts are ready and waiting.
Aircrew not working the fire scene at any time due to firefighting tactics, weather or other issues; are on, at most, a 30- or 60-minute on call standing. In their limited downtime, 14 Wing personnel have been able to arrange vehicles for the guests to use – visiting Hall’s Harbour or Halifax; taking them to tour the Greenwood Military Aviation Museum or even home for a BBQ supper.
“I’ve been so pleased with our personnel who’ve been asked to help. There’s been no discernable strain on the wing – no complaints from air traffic controllers, coordinating all the aircraft; the visiting crews have invited our base firefighters over to look at their equipment. Accommodations staff – they’ve helped me out a lot! – have been over to take a look around. One of the aircraft needed a seal ring, so I called over to our parts desk at 405 Squadron: we don’t have it, but that’s their job – they found it at IMP and it was here the next day so they don’t stop flying.
“The support from all aspects of the wing has been astonishing. When we heard the firefighting crews were coming and we were asked, ‘Are we able to support this?,’ it was a straight and honest, ‘Yes.’”
