Rescue training

Last December, a SAR Tech crew from CFB Trenton safely rescued an injured crane operator from atop a burning building in Kingston. Above, the crew of the Wellington Rescue, John McCrea, Doug Monk, Bruce Cronk and Lucas McFaul, prepare to take on a passenger on West Lake on Sunday.

Wellington Rescue and CFB Trenton conduct joint exercises

Members of 424 Transport and Rescue Squadron from CFB Trenton joined with auxiilliary coast guard crew members of the Wellington Rescue boat on Sunday in joint exercises on WestLake.

With the Wellington Rescue underway at about 5 knots, the Search and Rescue Technician (SAR Tech) crew manoevered their Bell CH-146 Griffon helicopter just feet about the rescue boat’s deck, then lowered two SAR Techs onto the boat.

As the Griffon circled, the SAR Techs slipped into the lake in full water gear. The Wellington Rescue moved away to a safe distance as the Griffon returned to pluck their colleagues from the water.

Everything went according to plan. The entire exercise was completed in about an hour. The volunteer Wellington Rescue crew returned back to base for debriefing.

The exercise provides a great training opportunity for the team—but there is no compensation for either their time or fuel. Virtually the entire Wellington Rescue program is funded by donations of time and money from this community.

For wayward boaters, Wellington Rescue is the only response available from Brighton to Kingston. Several times each season, Wellington Rescue is dispatched to retrieve boaters that have failed to navigate the shoals at Gull Pond or simply underestimate the punishing conditions that can arise on LakeOntario.

Readers interested in learning more about Wellington Rescue are invited to contact Robert Riendeau at 613-399-1592.