Bristow celebrates 30 years of SAR from Sumburgh
HeliHub: 1st December, 2013
On Saturday, November 30, Bristow celebrates its contribution to achieving a significant milestone -30 years of delivering search and rescue (SAR) services from Sumburgh on behalf of the Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA). Bristow crew members past and present, the MCA, Sikorsky and representatives of local search and rescue operational partner organizations will gather at the SAR base at Sumburgh Airport to mark the anniversary.
Richard Parkes, Director of Maritime Operations at the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), will present a Coastguard Meritorious Award to the base. A letter of commendation from Sergei Sikorsky and an award will be presented by Sikorsky. Bristow will present individual Operational Excellence Awards. Member of Parliament Stephen Hammond has sent a videotaped message, as has Bristow Group President and CEO Bill Chiles and Bristow Helicopters Managing Director Mike Imlach.
Chris Bond, now with Bristow Q&S Global Standards, was at Sumburgh at the beginning when Bristow began delivering SAR, going back 37 years. As chief crewman, in fact, Bond helped set up SAR operations in Sumburgh in 1983. He commented on the history of Bristow in delivering SAR services in Bristow.
“There is no better way to help our fellow man. I can’t emphasize enough the enthusiasm and commitment of the people that work in the SAR community. There are people at Sumburgh and Stornoway that have been there since the beginning. There was one young fellow I remember at Sumburgh -it was Kieran Murray Junior -- that I was pushing on swings with my kids when he was five years old, and he is now a SAR commander. These are dedicated people who have created an amazing unit and their whole lives revolve around their work."
HeliHub: 30 Years of SAR at Sumburgh
Bristow World: UK SAR Special Edition