Helicopters start rescue efforts after landslide traps hundreds on B.C. highway

[MilEME09]

Finally some decent video (on CBC). Two, maybe even three, complete breaches of Hwy 1; at least two on Hwy 5 involving different bridges with both sets of lanes dropped. Last time I saw footage of the erosion of the southbound lanes not too far "north" of the Hwy 3/5 junction, the river was almost at the northbound lanes.

Top it off with the fact the ground is still unstable so we could loose more still, and the forecast is mixed

 

[daftandbarmy]

Finally some decent video (on CBC). Two, maybe even three, complete breaches of Hwy 1; at least two on Hwy 5 involving different bridges with both sets of lanes dropped. Last time I saw footage of the erosion of the southbound lanes not too far "north" of the Hwy 3/5 junction, the river was almost at the northbound lanes.

If only there was a Combat Engineer Regiment in Chilliwack ...

 

[SeaKingTacco]

If only there was a Combat Engineer Regiment in Chilliwack ...

We could have had an Engineer Brigade in Chilliwack and it would make no difference. There are years worth of work for every major road Contractor in BC to put this right again, much less improve for the future.

 

[dapaterson]

The other challenge is the quantity of bridging assets that will be required for a prolonged period of time.

I do not know how many linear metres of Acrow bridging are in CAF holdings, but I'm certain it's nowhere near enough for a disaster of this magnitude. (Acrow replaced the Bailey Bridge in CAF service).

Acrow | Temporary

acrow.com

 

[daftandbarmy]

The other challenge is the quantity of bridging assets that will be required for a prolonged period of time.

I do not know how many linear metres of Acrow bridging are in CAF holdings, but I'm certain it's nowhere near enough for a disaster of this magnitude. (Acrow replaced the Bailey Bridge in CAF service).

Acrow | Temporary

acrow.com

By Jove, I think you've just started the 'Combat Estimate' process for someone with a few stars on their shoulder straps.

I wonder if it will ever be ready for when the 'Big One' hits the lower mainland which, (I believe) is the largest urban concentration in Canada that is most at risk from natural disasters, and which also has the least amount of in situ support from Regular Force ground assets.

 

[dapaterson]

The Big One will require outside forces brought in to assist with recovery; those in situ will be mostly performing self recovery in the immediate aftermath.

 

[MilEME09]

By Jove, I think you've just started the 'Combat Estimate' process for someone with a few stars on their shoulder straps.

I wonder if it will ever be ready for when the 'Big One' hits the lower mainland which, (I believe) is the largest urban concentration in Canada that is most at risk from natural disasters, and which also has the least amount of in situ support from Regular Force ground assets.

If anything this shows we aren't prepared, a rain storm crippled us quickly, and even getting a single road open will take a long time, now imagine if the airports were out too.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

The other challenge is the quantity of bridging assets that will be required for a prolonged period of time.

I do not know how many linear metres of Acrow bridging are in CAF holdings, but I'm certain it's nowhere near enough for a disaster of this magnitude. (Acrow replaced the Bailey Bridge in CAF service).

Acrow | Temporary

acrow.com

The Provincial Highways Department and Forestry Department have stockpiles of Arcow bridging in each of the districts, along with smaller modular bridge sections such as this:

If the CAF had these wheeled bridge layers, they be very useful for domestic and international operations. Their bridges would allow construction equipment to get to where it's needed and cover smaller gaps until the Province can mobilize bridging resources or the army brings up it's Arcow bridging. I know that the Province and 1 CER used to work together on bridging exercises back in the 80's.

 

[daftandbarmy]

If anything this shows we aren't prepared, a rain storm crippled us quickly, and even getting a single road open will take a long time, now imagine if the airports were out too.

And imagine the public order, looting, panic buying, and other similar 'tempers flaring' issues - on a mass scale - resulting from a massive earthquake or other major disaster e.g.,

Police called in as tempers flare over Malahat closure​

Drivers frustrated by delays getting over the Malahat are taking their anger out on flaggers, say police, who have moved in to keep the peace.

The highway is closed for repairs from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. through Monday and limited to single-lane alternating traffic during the day so damage from heavy rain and flooding can be repaired.

“We are aware that some motorists have taken out their anger on flaggers, who are only doing their job,” said West Shore RCMP Const. Alex Berube. “We acknowledge that tempers are high and patience is running thin.”

West Shore RCMP will be on hand at both 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. to ensure a smooth transition to single-lane-traffic mode, Berube said.

Police called in as tempers flare over Malahat closure

The highway is closed for repairs from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. daily for the rest of the week.

www.timescolonist.com

 

[FJAG]

The other challenge is the quantity of bridging assets that will be required for a prolonged period of time.

I do not know how many linear metres of Acrow bridging are in CAF holdings, but I'm certain it's nowhere near enough for a disaster of this magnitude. (Acrow replaced the Bailey Bridge in CAF service).

Acrow | Temporary

acrow.com

Luckily the Northwestern Division of the US Army Corps of Engineers has a good stockpile of all that stuff available.

It's time to see if that special relationship really works.

Gee. Wouldn't it be nice if a few of the Canadian Army Reserve Engineer units were bridging units and had all that kind of gear "in reserve" instead of just a handful of MilCOTS.

 

[MilEME09]

Luckily the Northwestern Division of the US Army Corps of Engineers has a good stockpile of all that stuff available.

It's time to see if that special relationship really works.

Gee. Wouldn't it be nice if a few of the Canadian Army Reserve Engineer units were bridging units and had all that kind of gear available instead of just a handful of MilCOTS.

River boats might be more useful then bridges. The closest place to preposition bridges to help BC and have access would be Suffield, lots of empty space to put bridging equipment. Getting to the location would be difficult, now having military river boats to transport those bridges could be more effective

 

[daftandbarmy]

River boats might be more useful then bridges. The closest place to preposition bridges to help BC and have access would be Suffield, lots of empty space to put bridging equipment. Getting to the location would be difficult, now having military river boats to transport those bridges could be move effective

Damn... that Combat Estimate just writes itself!

 

[MilEME09]

Damn... that Combat Estimate just writes itself!

Just don't put immediate promotion on my PER

 

[Colin Parkinson]

River boats might be more useful then bridges. The closest place to preposition bridges to help BC and have access would be Suffield, lots of empty space to put bridging equipment. Getting to the location would be difficult, now having military river boats to transport those bridges could be more effective

No reason not to have both bridge component and boats at Reserve units.

 

[daftandbarmy]

No reason not to have both bridge component and boats at Reserve units.

39 CER has some floaties

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=727956120739315

 

[Brad Sallows]

I don't know that "years" of work are required to get a route open; the Coquihalla construction activities took roughly 2 years from 1984 to 1986. If Hwy 3 has only floods and slides and the road is OK, cleanup will do. Hwy 1 looks like the biggest challenge; there isn't a lot of room to move laterally. I suppose after the immediate fixes are complete, there are places that some heavy-duty riprap is in order (eg. Hwy 5 where it snakes alongside the Coldwater River, crossing the latter a few times between Britton Creek and Kingsvale).

 

[daftandbarmy]

Matt's take on the situation....


Matt Gurney: Only dead Canadians will shock us out of our appalling complacency

We don't even fund our search-and-rescue units properly. That's the least controversial thing the military does.

If you've heard of General Wayne Eyre, Canadian Army, it's probably because he's currently the acting chief of the defence staff — that's the top officer in the Canadian Armed Forces, in command of the army, navy and air force. He got the job after the last CDS got entangled in the sexual misconduct scandal now roiling the military. Gen. Erye stands a pretty good chance of being the next CDS on a full-time basis, assuming the government ever gets around to making a decision on that front. Given the attention the Liberals usually give the military, this is not a guarantee.

If you'd heard of Gen. Eyre before all the weirdness alluded to above, there's a decent chance it's because of a pretty stark warning he sounded not long ago. Interviewed by the Canadian Press, the general, then head of the army, warned that the military was simply too small to do all that was being asked of it. Specifically, he warned that increasingly frequent domestic deployments were interfering with the military's ability to conduct large-scale, multi-unit exercises. In typical Canadian fashion, the general reached for a hockey metaphor to describe why such large exercises are essential, and told the CP, “It’s like a hockey team that would never train, never play on the ice together, and then all of a sudden being thrown into an NHL game and be expected to win."


Matt Gurney: Only dead Canadians will shock us out of our appalling complacency

 

[KevinB]

Matt's take on the situation....



Matt Gurney: Only dead Canadians will shock us out of our appalling complacency

Pretty darned accurate.

I don't want to grind my axe much here -- but a few more Squadrons of CH-147F's would be significantly helpful at this point in time.

 

[Good2Golf]

Yup. Heck, I'd horse-trade airframe/fleet numbers, and do a 1:1 of say 15 more 147Fs and give up some 146s. Base the second 147F Sqn in YED. I bet they even have a Sqn number in mind...or just make them a flight of 408 to be easier and keep things from over inflating structure.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Yup. Heck, I'd horse-trade airframe/fleet numbers, and do a 1:1 of say 15 more 147Fs and give up some 146s. Base the second 147F Sqn in YED. I bet they even have a Sqn number in mind...or just make them a flight of 408 to be easier and keep things from over inflating structure.

I watched the aircrew interviews on TV last night.

One of the pilots was a female LCdr, on exchange from the States. She looked awesome!