Floods in Sheffield - a thank you!

[Orson]

Dear all,

A quick thank you from the police in South Yorkshire to all those who flew last night and today in helping us evacuate people from various places across the city. I know SAR from Leconfield and I think Kinloss were involved, but thank you to anyone else as well.
The op is still ongoing, but your efforts are appreciated.
I am a police officer in Sheffield, and very wet...
Best regards to you all!

O:D

[nadders]

A big thank you also from the fire crews in Sheffield. I spent a very long wet afternoon evacuating people from cars and buildings on brightside lane. We knew it was really going t*ts up when you fellas turned up!!!

A brilliant job well done, :D:D:D:D:D


Nads

[AR1]

My Daughters there at the Universtiy of Sheffield. Currently getting some revision in at her house.
I rang her this morning, concerned.

Dont know what your'e talking about, she replied.

Which supports my long held theory. Buy the house at the top of the hill.

But seriously, good effort from those involved - we never get anything less do we.

[MichaelJP59]

Seconded - RAF rescue Sea Kings looked to be doing sterling work last night.

Just had two Tornado GR4s over Sheffield - anyone know why? Photography or do they have some special equipment?

[airborne_artist]

ome special equipment?

Application of re-heat will help evaporate the flood water?

[Razor61]

Perhaps a recce of the affected areas....?

[Bluesteel705]

There was a lone Tornado over Chesterfield this afternoon at about 14:30 turned round right over my house :ok::ok::ok::ok::ok:

And then flew back towards Sheffield.

[bwfg3]

I apologise for this in advance.. but I cant resist:

Was the tornado from the Dam Busters????????:E

well done to all those helping and best wishes to those affected:D.

[Double Zero]

I did ask if the RAF had a CAP up to keep any opportinistic Luftwaffe types seeking revenge away from that dodgy dam...

[Sven Sixtoo]

14:43 to 19:41

4:58 to the sick joke.:D

There's a PhD in calibrating disasters by time to the bad humour.:ok:
Seriously, there must have been at least one other SAR Flight present. Having been elsewhere for a few days I haven't seen the tote so don't know exactly who attended. I suspect I'm the only one associated with Leconfield who posts here regularly. Delighted to assist (though I didn't fly this one), and good to see co-operation between us all in the civil resilience business. This was a very small test in the great scheme of things. Will pass on your thanks at the SAR Force Conference tomorrow.

Sven

[Double Zero]

On a real not jokey note, I think it disgusting a country of our size & wealth does not have a hell of a lot more SAR & ambulance helos ( very different roles I know ) , pads & AAEC's at a great deal MORE hospitals, not a great deal less as planned - in a way, even more of a scandal than supporting Iraq / 'Stan.

Don't get me wrong, rather than a lot of plasma screens, civil serpents etc you would have much more support if we the public had anything to do with it - I used to be a civvy in military development & if properly organised we all know we could afford it !

Having whip-rounds to get hospital helo's - no decent protection for front line guys - 'third world' countries must be laughing at us...:{

[Razor61]

I Believe Boulmer assisted with their flight as well as Leconfield with of course Kinloss ARCC co-ordinating.

[ZH875]

Regarding the Ulley Reservoir, if they wanted pumping engines to shift lots of water, the government could provide a fleet of Green Goddesses, after all they were designed to pump lots of water....

...Oh :mad: the penny pinchers got rid of them, didn't they.:ugh:

Still, Hats raised, and beers drunk in praise of all of the emergency services, and that bloke in the JCB.

[Double Zero]

I agree with all the above post; one thing, I once worked on 38 metre barges in Burgundy - the farmers there used much larger bore hoses & pumps to irrigate their crops, from the canals, to the extent that the ( shallow draught ) barges ran aground & if lucky managed to use sheer engine power - lot's of torque & inertia but only about 100hp - to get to the next lock !

From what I saw on TV today the hoses & pumps were nothing like as big as the bore ( roughly 6" + ) the French used as a matter of routine.

[Double Zero]

On reflection, the Burgondonian farmers use more like 10-12" or larger dia' uptakes, pipes & faily high rate continuosly to drain the canal for irrigation ( much much larger than British canals, see the craft ) - big difference, & with pump capacity to suit.

They could always have volunteered their kit to help ( then again they might have for all I know ) - anyway would be ideal, and why don't we have it ?

After all, judging by experts on the climate, it should be in reverse dispensing sun-block soon ...

[Wrathmonk]

Double Zero

I'm amazed - you've contributed to a thread in the Military Forum without slagging off the aircraft involved. Or even suggested that the Tornado aircraft were on a sighseeing trip and why are they flying anyway because they're not doing anything operational right now blah blah blah.:mad:

Surprised you didn't suggest that the GR9s be used to hover over the flooded areas to dry them out (and bring the SHARs, gawd bless 'em, out of retirement to support them). Coz the only real aircraft as we now is the Harrier :yuk:

Of course, if we were able to procure off the shelf rather than be forced to invest in over-priced rip-off British Defence Companies, that rarely if ever deliver on time, then we could invest more elsewhere...:E

Was your factory affected?;)

Back on thread - good effort from the SAR boys, sand bag fillers and all others who have helped over the last week or so. Remember folks, charity starts at home...

[Double Zero]

Wrathmonk,

thinking about it you're quite right ( my opinion was misguided for a minute by a chum who's ex-617 ).

The Harriers could have lifted people out 4 at a time with those pods...:E

[west lakes]

Regarding the Ulley Reservoir,

From the local Cumbrian newspaper Cumbria fire service called to assist with high capacity pump from Kendal, first used in Carlisle floods of 2005.
A number of these are stationed around the country for this type of situation.

Did anyone hear the BBC interview with the RAF Kinloss spokesman on Mon, when asked about resources mentioned if neccesary a Chinook would be sent.
For 5 mins after TV announcers were using the term Chinook as though they knew what they were talking about! There voices sounded more like "what the h:mad:ll is a Chinook" - well done the beeb - again!

Well done all involved, was on the edge of Carlisle incident and know what you were/are going through.

[GOLF_BRAVO_ZULU]

Wrathmonk, having had a go at Double Zero, it's interesting that you are still obsessed with "off the shelf"; meaning of foreign origin. I take it world economics and balance of payments isn't one of your strong points. Maybe we should buy our dams off the shelf from the Germans. They must still have the drawings for the Sorpe Dam somewhere.

[Double Zero]

A certain Mr Farley always had and whenever possible adhered to the phrase & motive ' UK Ltd ' which meant helping out small British companies whenever we could...I can supply photo's to demonstrate this now apparently weird concept.

Later on in BAe I was mistakenly sent a call from a chap with a small electronics company who'd staked everything on a test rig which had got BAe out of the s==t then he'd not been paid...

I contacted the accounts dept. and found it was standard practice to delay paying to the last day of 3 months, or preferably not at all.

As far as I know the poor guy who'd bust a gut to help couldn't last that long...

BTW Wrathmonk, it was a flight testing airfield, not so much a factory - though whippet botherers wouldn't know the difference.

[Wrathmonk]

GBZ

Thread drift ....

More than happy with world economics and balance of payments. BUT .... what would you rather have - equipment now that can do the job now to support those that need it now (albeit from a "friendly" foreign country) or start from scratch with UK plc and have the product 10 years after it had a useful shelf life.

I am also happy that COTS is not the answer to all our problems - sometimes even the kit needed now is not available in the (sometimes?) short-notice led requirements process (UAV for instance) and technology transfer could remain an issue.

Back on thread ....

BZ to all you fine rescue chaps. Easy to forget about those that put the hours and skill (and potentially their lives) to support those in peril on the UK mainland when so many are "supporting" BLiars global aspirations.:ok:

[Double Zero]

Well you started it, :ugh: & GBZ was kind enough to step in - Ta !

As for SAR crews, I'm totally in support, as I indicated in my first post - more power ( and equipment, support etc ) to your elbow.

Job very well done as usual...

DZ

[wokkameister]

Well done the SAR Bouys!!!! Good Effort.

Would have loved to assist bt...

A. All our cabs have spent so long in the desert they would have dissolved in the rain.

B. We tend to shift the problem by blowing the water/casualties into a neighbouring county.

C. We can't think of things to brief for 45 minutes.



And D..... You do a much better job! Well done.


WM

[Mr Point]

The 1st standby crew from Leconfield were first on scene (their 5th job of the day), closely followed by the Leconfield 2nds crew, and the Boulmer 1st crew.

The 3 Sea Kings were later joined by the Wattisham 1st standby crew who, as well as rescuing people from buildings, lifted 2 people who were clinging to a tree in a fast moving "river".

The police ASU (Air Support Unit) also did a great job of spotting casualties for the Sea Kings to rescue.

Four SAR helicopters all together were involved, from both 22 Sqn and 202 Sqn - just in time for the SAR Force Conference!

[AR1]

Definately a Chinook on the box last night moving about four bags of sand...

The reprorter was sat inside said Chinook. with Aircrew franticily gesticulating through hatch as if directing the load onto the ground. I didnt see the reporter wearing ear defenders - Whats the betting they were actually on terra firma at the time!

[airborne_artist]

The Telegraph reports today that "A Chinook helicopter from RAF Odiham, Wilts , was used to lift 150 one-ton bags of aggregate to help shore up the riverbank around Bentley."

[I wish they'd stop moving air bases, gets expensive for the publications team]

[TorqueOfTheDevil]

Maybe we should buy our dams off the shelf from the Germans. They must still have the drawings for the Sorpe Dam somewhere.

I think we'd do very well to buy old dam designs from the Germans - the Mohne and Sorpe only collapsed when attacked by a number of weapons which had been specially designed for the purpose; otherwise, the original dams would no doubt still be there today.

The British dam at Ulley is in serious danger of collapse...solely because it can't cope with water building up behind it!:ugh:

One-nil to Albert Speer, I'd say!

[tacr2man]

Only saw one military vehicle the one that appeared to have slipped off the road, Still they sold off all the stalwarts, have they got any amphibious vehices left.
Surely would have been more cost effective than helicopters, in a lot of situations?

[gar170]

I would just like to thank the SAR guys for being there in the first place.A group of personnel that really dont get true recognition for what they do.

:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

[TorqueOfTheDevil]

have they got any amphibious vehices (sic) left.
Surely would have been more cost effective than helicopters, in a lot of situations?


Eh? So should we get rid of fire engines and just have more fire extinguishers, because they are clearly cheaper?

[GOLF_BRAVO_ZULU]

TorqueOfTheDevil. Perhaps a couple of dots off Thread but the Sorpe, an earth dam like the Ulley, didn't break, even after after absorbing 2 well placed UPKEEP mines. It was damaged and the held capacity was reduced accordingly as a precaution; but it didn't breach.

[Mr Point]

....have they got any amphibious vehicles left. Surely would have been more cost effective than helicopters

With telescopic ladders to reach the people on the 1st and 2nd floors of collapsing building? Great idea!:ugh:

[airborne_artist]

have they got any amphibious vehicles left. Surely would have been more cost effective than helicopters

Have you ever operated one? Typically they have a small payload, they move slowly (5 kts max), and they certainly would have problems dropping a 1000 kg bag of ballast onto a waterlogged spot to +/- 10 cm accuracy. I'm not sure if any of the RM kit is fitted with a Hiab, either.

It's unlikely to make sense to keep such kit in emergency reserve when we've got RW assets to hand. God help us though if it floods again when we've got an even bigger war on :ugh:

[[email protected]]

Tightrope - the ASU talk to SAR on VHF - one of the winchmen (flt cdr actually) went in to the Police Gold control - their words were 'Thank God someone who speaks helicopter' - and used his handheld VHF to task the 3 SAR helos. Otherwise it really would have been a goat. And no the police don't train to use military assets - discussed at length at the SARF conference.

[Sgt Bilko]

Police Helo's still have the VHF/UHF kit in them as well as Tetra/Airwave. Airwave have a contract for emergencies to extra transmitters on the ground in x amount of hours.

[Double Zero]

Dare I mention the word 'Optica' ? Tragic result when a non-test police pilot tried his luck...

On a brighter note, GBZ you're right about that dam, it's about time we had another go - could use up inert Blue Steels & Sea Eagles maybe - though we'd have to leave the Red Arrows in war role on CAP above our own dodgy dam...on second thoughts we can stand to lose a lot of whippet botherers, we could just post the Germans the co-ordinates...oh the post's on strike - Bu**er.:E

[rafmatt]

I think a big shout out should go to the girls and boys who helped with coordinating the sar helos from Kinloss.

A big effort from a little known group who coordinates the rescue of so many people around the UK and the world

[PICKS135]

Nicked from arrse

The streets of Sheffield echo to the sounds of "Super, Smashing, great" as Bullseye's star prize winners finally get a chance to use their prizes....Their * speedboats........

[ShyTorque]

Picks,

Like it! :ok:

Thank goodness I didn't opt for that little house on the flood plain, unlike my near neighbours....... :(

[motley2]

Not to mention a certain individual who shall remain nameless, who appeared on TV at the Ulley Reservoir with reporters and large bags of sand......????

Any guesses on a postcard if you will:confused: