WHEREAS, the HMCS KOOTENAY, a Destroyer Escort, experienced the worst peacetime accident in the history of the Royal Canadian Navy. On 23 October, 1969, an explosion ripped through the engine's starboard gearbox when Kootenay was approximately 200 miles off the South West Coast of England.
As a result of the fire and deadly toxic smoke, created by the explosion, nine crewmen died and fifty three were seriously injured. Years later, the disaster remains deeply imprinted in the memories of the survivors. In fact, most survivors have been diagnosed with PTSD, for which they are receiving professional counselling.
As a result of the lessons learned from the Kootenay crisis, the RCN and many other navies through out the world made significant changes to ensure much higher safety standards, which render naval ships much safer for today's sailors.
Although all two hundred and forty crew members lived in the Halifax area in 1969, there are still several survivors of the tragedy and their family members residing in HRM today.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT, I, Mayor Mike Savage, on behalf of Halifax Regional Council, do hereby proclaim 23 October, 2015 and subsequent years as "Kootenay Day" in effort to raise awareness of this RCN tragedy of 46 years ago, so it will always be remembered and commemorated by the residents of HRM.
Dated at Halifax, Nova Scotia
this 23rd day of October, 2015
Signed
Mike Savage
Mayor
