Canadian Air Force Assisting US Coast Guard

This is a news release from 1 Canadian Air Division in Winnipeg.

WINNIPEG -- Canada?s Air Force is sending two CH-146 Griffon helicopters to assist the United States Coast Guard (USCG) in covering the Boston Search and Rescue (SAR) area of responsibility (AOR) over the long weekend.

The two Griffons are from 444 Combat Support (CS) Squadron, 5 Wing Goose Bay, NL. and from 439 (CS) Squadron, 3 Wing Bagotville, Que. Five aircrew personnel from each Squadron and maintenance personnel from 444 (CS) Squadron are headed to Air Station Cape Cod, MA, where they will provide SAR support to USCG District one (Boston) who deployed five of their six H60 Jayhawk helicopters to the flood relief duties in the Southern USA.

?We are happy to help in any way that we can,? said Major-General Charlie Bouchard, Commander, 1 Canadian Air Division/Canadian NORAD Region. ?This is just an extension of the positive relationship that already exists between the Canadian and U.S. SAR communities and we are prepared to support them beyond the long weekend if the need exists.?

This weekend is one of the busiest for boating-related SAR cases in the Boston AOR.

The Canadian Air Force has three CS Squadrons: 417, 439 and 444 located at 4 Wing Cold Lake, Alta., 3 Wing Bagotville, Que. and 5 Wing Goose Bay, NL. respectively. These CS Squadrons use the Griffon for primary and secondary SAR in support of Wing operations.

The Air Force remains at a high state of readiness to respond in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina should any requests for assistance come from the United States. Today, a CC-150 Airbus from 8 Wing Trenton, Ont. transported Red Cross workers and Foreign Affairs Canada officers to Houston, TX.

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