A medical emergency in Alberta yesterday
Some sort of explosion took place on Canadian Forces Base Wainwright Alberta. Reports vary with 4 to 7 people killed and 100+ injured. Hospitials were overrun as civilian medivac aircraft raced people to trauma hosptials in Edmonton and Calgary.
I have fond memories of CFB Wainwright having served there and then doing work there. I remember my first time there and how we were bunked in steel quanset huts on bunks that you needed a ladder to get in and out of. We used to laugh that they were airborne bunks since you needed a parachute to get out of them in the morning.
The last time I was there I was enjoying a soda pop outside the base canteen and I watched a helicopter pilot fend off the many British soldiers. The Brits were sticklers for saluting and so the helicopter pilot, a captain, was being saluted by every enlisted Brit that walked by. The pilot was trying to read a book but he would have to stand up and return every salute. After about the 10th time the pilot found a seat facing away from the street and he sat so he couldn't see the Brits saluting him.
While I was there I was laughing at the old 4 wheel drive farm tractor and random disc hooked to it. The guy running the machine explained that they had to keep a plowed fireguard all around the base in case of fire. That didn't work too good yesterday. The wind was 60 MPH and the fire from the explosion was out of control the minute it started. It travelled miles before it jumped the fire guard into the farmer's fields. The fire was brought under control but the death and injuries remain.
I think this is the largest loss of life in the Canadian Armed Forces since the Yanks bombed the Canadians in Afghanistan. Tragic loss of life.
I have fond memories of CFB Wainwright having served there and then doing work there. I remember my first time there and how we were bunked in steel quanset huts on bunks that you needed a ladder to get in and out of. We used to laugh that they were airborne bunks since you needed a parachute to get out of them in the morning.
The last time I was there I was enjoying a soda pop outside the base canteen and I watched a helicopter pilot fend off the many British soldiers. The Brits were sticklers for saluting and so the helicopter pilot, a captain, was being saluted by every enlisted Brit that walked by. The pilot was trying to read a book but he would have to stand up and return every salute. After about the 10th time the pilot found a seat facing away from the street and he sat so he couldn't see the Brits saluting him.
While I was there I was laughing at the old 4 wheel drive farm tractor and random disc hooked to it. The guy running the machine explained that they had to keep a plowed fireguard all around the base in case of fire. That didn't work too good yesterday. The wind was 60 MPH and the fire from the explosion was out of control the minute it started. It travelled miles before it jumped the fire guard into the farmer's fields. The fire was brought under control but the death and injuries remain.
I think this is the largest loss of life in the Canadian Armed Forces since the Yanks bombed the Canadians in Afghanistan. Tragic loss of life.
70-79, M