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This here's my (flooded) county!

Griz882

Griz882

Frightening children with the Griz-O-Copter!
pilot
Contributor
This is a bit of a tempest in a teapot, but the story keeps gaining traction. Most of you have probably heard some of it - an area helicopter pilot flew to NC and eventually helped a woman to safety but was threatened with arrest by a small town fire official. Considering there was, within 12 hours of this event, a major citizen-helicopter aid effort established I am wondering what the take is from the AW side?


Also @ChuckMK23…why doesn’t the CAP have helicopters or link in members with helicopters? Seems like this should be their mission.
 
sevenhelmet

sevenhelmet

Low calorie attack from the Heartland
pilot
TacticalTater said:
People providing assets that local agencies don't have, on top of it guy is a former fire fighter as well. Seems like a real short sighted dismissal of an asset when people are struggling and the local fire dept. has no air resources.
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Unfortunately, there are always people who prioritize gatekeeping over mission. I knew plenty of them when I was on AD as well.

I was just reading how some HAM radio operators were getting their panties in a wad over unlicensed use of radios during the emergency- never mind that the FARs allow leeway for that. :rolleyes:
 
R

Random8145

Registered User
Contributor
Griz882 said:
This is a bit of a tempest in a teapot, but the story keeps gaining traction. Most of you have probably heard some of it - an area helicopter pilot flew to NC and eventually helped a woman to safety but was threatened with arrest by a small town fire official. Considering there was, within 12 hours of this event, a major citizen-helicopter aid effort established I am wondering what the take is from the AW side?


Also @ChuckMK23…why doesn’t the CAP have helicopters or link in members with helicopters? Seems like this should be their mission.
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Local officials can be some of the most comically/absurdly tyrannical when it comes to people infringing on their "turf." Reminds me of the one community where there was this beat-up old set of stairs that were not safe. So a local guy repaired them or built new ones (I forget). Local officials immediately shut down access because those stairs need to be inspected by a special official to ensure they were safe (never mind the lack of safety of the prior ones).

Then my favorite, a community where there were a bunch of potholes that the local government for some reason couldn't/wouldn't fix. So some guys get some concrete and supplies and fixed all the potholes themselves. BIG MISTAKE. The local government wanted to charge them but the problem was they couldn't quite figure out what to charge them with.

While I can't say for sure what I'd have done in the situation with the pilot, I'd like to think I'd have gone and rescued the husband, told the fire chief dude to F off and taken back off again.
 
Gatordev

Gatordev

Well-Known Member
pilot
Site Admin
Contributor
On the one hand, it can be an issue if some random dude shows up and starts clobbering LZs while not talking to anyone. There's a huge FEMA chain of command, and usually some sort of aviation over-watch asset if it's a populated area. The aviation over-watch may not exist in a less-populated area. There wasn't one for Helene in FL and GA, but there also weren't any TFRs (amazingly) except for the various campaign and VIP NOTAMs.

That said, even when there is coordination, it's quite the shit-show. Ian had a TFR, CBP Air & Marine "coordinating" entry (if you want to call it that), and there was all manner of aviation assets flying around. I think most of the comms you'd hear was either the HEMS guys talking on A2A, like we always do, or random calls on the CTAFs where the towers were closed. Otherwise it was the wild west.

And yet, somehow, we all managed to help people get to where they needed to go. As long as you aren't blocking a hospital pad without prior coordination, or aren't flying around erratically like you have 50 hours in model, take the help!

I'm with @sevenhelmet ...seems like someone wanting to exert their dominance in their tiny rice bowl, and a township that can't just admit maybe it was a slight over-reaction.
 
hscs

hscs

Registered User
pilot
What authority does a county sheriff have to do this? This is akin to citing someone who parks on the shoulder to render aid during an accident on the highway.
 
Gatordev

Gatordev

Well-Known Member
pilot
Site Admin
Contributor
hscs said:
What authority does a county sheriff have to do this? This is akin to citing someone who parks on the shoulder to render aid during an accident on the highway.
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The Sheriff would have the authority to arrest. It might not go anywhere, but it would still be very inconvenient for the good Samaritan.
 
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