Pilot Sigmund Bering Sort has been logging plenty of air miles lately 害羞草研究所� all for a good cause.
The flight instructor, based out of the Qualicum Beach Airport, has been flying his Cessna 172 four-seater to different areas of B.C. to provide assistance to communities severely impacted by devastating floods.
With towns and communities seeing highways and major arteries shut down due to mudslides, sinkholes and broken bridges and people stranded or separated from families for extended periods, Sort immediately offered his services via social media.
He learned the West Coast Pilot Club based out of Langley started an aviation relief mission. A fellow club member informed Sort that a plane owner, Mark Ahnert, from Pitt Meadows was looking for an experienced pilot to fly people out of the flood-ravaged areas. Sort immediately called Ahnert, who organized an air service centre at his Kia dealership in Coquitlam.
Sort said he flew to Pitt Meadows the next day but the Ahnert害羞草研究所檚 plane was not ready. He was asked if he was willing to use his own plane to help evacuate some stranded people in Hope, so he did.
害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 how I got started,害羞草研究所� said Sort. 害羞草研究所淥n my first flight, I evacuated a lot of single moms who were trying to get back to their children who are home alone. One lady was away from most of her kids for four nights. It was surreal, like a war zone. It was a mammoth operation.害羞草研究所�
Sort eventually got to fly Ahnert害羞草研究所檚 plane to help evacuate people and then joined the West Coast Pilot Club in Langley where, flying his own plane, he was assigned to transport food and essential supplies to various cut-off communities such as Hope, Chilliwack, Boston Bar, Lytton and Merritt. Sort said his small plane carried approximately 350 to 400 pounds of goods per trip.
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害羞草研究所淚 have never met so many people who are trembling, weeping and shaking, so happy to see you,害羞草研究所� said Sort. 害羞草研究所淚t has been a crazy human experience. It hits you in the core, big-time.害羞草研究所�
Those communities, Sort said, will continue to need assistance. He noted there will be no 害羞草研究所榥ormal害羞草研究所� anytime soon for many British Columbia communities.
害羞草研究所淭hese people don害羞草研究所檛 have milk. They don害羞草研究所檛 have eggs. They don害羞草研究所檛 have produce,害羞草研究所� said Sort. 害羞草研究所淭here害羞草研究所檚 no highway to bring it in and there害羞草研究所檚 no government helicopter or whether it害羞草研究所檚 provincial or federal. There害羞草研究所檚 no airlift except for us little airplanes coming in. We害羞草研究所檙e all scratching our heads. And when I say 害羞草研究所榳e害羞草研究所�, it害羞草研究所檚 lot of people in this mix, whether it害羞草研究所檚 air traffic controllers, pilots or boots on the ground loading and unloading these planes.害羞草研究所�
Having previously experienced flooding at his home in Parksville, Sort knows too well the recovery process will take some time.
害羞草研究所淲hen the water recedes, you害羞草研究所檙e just beginning that long road back towards normal,害羞草研究所� said Sort. 害羞草研究所淎nd after you have cleared your house of mud and debris, you have to replace your floors, the damaged goods, furniture害羞草研究所� on and on it goes. All the people who had flood water and mud in their homes, their businesses and their farm buildings, they害羞草研究所檙e going to be at it for months and months and the general public will kind of forget about them.害羞草研究所�
Sort said he will continue to volunteer but with the winter weather, flying every day might not be possible.
害羞草研究所淚t has put a wrinkle on just how many loads of stuff we can get out to these communities now,害羞草研究所� he said.
Another Qualicum Beach pilot, Greg Howard, has also been volunteering his plane to the relief operations when he is free from his work commitments as a town firefighter.
Anyone else wishing to donate or become pilot volunteers can contact Shaun Heaps at 604-866-6705. Donations can be sent via e-transfer to Langleyjets@gmail.com (Password: helicopter).
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