RCAF assists with evacuation

Severe flooding in Ontario, Canada precipitated the evacuation of the majority of residents of the First Nations community of Kashechewan in May, with the operation reaching its successful completion on 13 May. The Royal Canadian Air Force assisted with the evacuation, deploying a trio of CC-130 Hercules aircraft, along with other commercial aircraft and members of 3 Canadian Ranger Patrol Group acting in a support capacity, to retrieve approximately 1,500 civilians.

“We are pleased that the evacuation has been successfully completed,” said Steven Blaney, minister of public safety and emergency services, Bernard Valcourt, minister of Aboriginal affairs and northern development, and Rob Nicholson, minister of national defence, in a joint statement. “The Canadian Armed Forces conducted eight evacuation flights … which were complemented by evacuation flights managed by the Province of Ontario. The Government Operations Centre continues to lead the federal response to flooding in the James Bay area and is working with partners to prepare a response to possible flooding in other communities.”