Lake Lure Fire Chief, comments

Mack in N.C.

Old Mossy Horns
Wirehead said:
Forgot to mention…

He spoke about low cloud cover during the interview and thus the need to fly a particular route… think about that. He also stated he chose to only fly one passenger to keep weight low due to conditions. 🤦🏻‍♂️
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so he knows what he is doing?
 

Mack in N.C.

Old Mossy Horns
Wirehead said:
…it points to a reason why the chief may have asked an unknown pilot to stop flying an unknown helo over difficult terrain during adverse flying conditions.
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I agree with telling a unknown pilot to stop but not after until he gets the husband. or he sends his own crew immediatly to get him. My problem and lots of others is he made the guy leave the husband. They should have had flying restrictions in place but didnt.
 
cloningerba

cloningerba

Old Mossy Horns
Someone make a call and honor it... Right or wrong it sounds like the helicopter pilot was trying to do the right thing.

@CRC keep your head down in your basement and worry about your damn elk...

your silly comments just add fuel to the fire....

No one on this forum even knows who you are.
 

darenative

Twelve Pointer
Id give the guy heading up search and rescue the benefit of the doubt for now. Not saying i agree with what happened, but there's probably more to the story.
 

bryguy

Old Mossy Horns
CRC said:
There was lots of helicopter traffic around Lake Lure

SC man should not have been there

I doubt he had clearance
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There were no flight restrictions and it was open air space. It was only 20 minutes after this happened that it was closed. All that info is covered in the video.
 

Justin

Old Mossy Horns
3 sides to every story.

Chief was likely overwhelmed and over reacted.

Heli pilot probably tried to big shot him, which likely didn’t help at all.

I can say from first hand experience, when first responders are involved and it requires outside expertise to get something accomplished, a lot of times egos get fragile and tempers flare. I’ve seen some DUMB stuff, that should’ve gotten people hurt or killed, when egos get fragile and first responders don’t wait for the right kind of help (in otherwise NON-life threatening situations). Mostly in the fire dept side of things.

Of course this isn’t the norm. Most people understand their limitations and work well with the ones that can pick up where others have to leave off, and understand that it takes teams to accomplish anything in any quantity in an extreme situation. The outliers are the things we remember the most.

I’m going to say even without facts presented, they’re BOTH wrong. Chief could’ve used this asset in an organized manner. If the pilot wanted to help, there’s zero shortage of places the helicopter pilot could’ve been put to use, with his chopper. Instead, he appeared to be back home.
 
thandy

thandy

Ten Pointer
I am not sure I saw the same video posted but I saw one on FB this morning. The pilot said it was a 3 minute ride from point to point to go back and get the husband. He also said he was working with someone on site to set up a landing area for him so he could continue the rescue. At some point the chief got there and shut it down, right or wrong. The pilot also said he passed over people he could help on his way out but he had already been threatened and the air space was closing.

I agree with most that there is more than one side to this.
 

bryguy

Old Mossy Horns
Yall need to watch the entire video. Probably more private helicopters flying releif and rescue missions then there are military or state. Tons of facebook post from the groups doing it.
Guy states when he landed to drop off the wife, one one of the firefighter told him they would have a landing zone ready for him. it was only then that the chief came over and threatned the guy. It was a very stressful time, but this should ahve been handled entirely different.
 

Mack in N.C.

Old Mossy Horns
and word is it wasnt the the chief. It was the Asst Chief. Thats coming from residents.
 
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CRC

Old Mossy Horns
bryguy said:
There were no flight restrictions and it was open air space. It was only 20 minutes after this happened that it was closed. All that info is covered in the video.
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Then he was getting in the way or things were getting chaotic in the air or on the ground so that somebody had to do something
 
thandy

thandy

Ten Pointer
CRC said:
The air space was shut down just after

Helicopters were already there rescuing people

The folks on the ground must have had problems coordinating rescue efforts
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They said they were creating a landing zone for him until this guy assistant chief or chief showed up. It could have been exactly what you said or someone could have had a temper tantrum we don't know. I am not talking either one of these guys down, heck maybe they were both wrong or maybe they were both right IDK. You seem to have some inside info though...
 
Ol Copper

Ol Copper

Twelve Pointer
Several weird things going on there
Several times it was Black Mtn, then it was Banner Elk, 2 completely different areas, which was it ?

I also find it odd that local celebrities like nascar drivers Carl Edwards and Greg Biffle are freely doing it and posting it all over social media, but others cant

The whole story sounds off in several ways
One thing I do know that stinks...having to fly away while you visibly see begging for rescue
 

Justin

Old Mossy Horns
Ol Copper said:
I also find it odd that local celebrities like nascar drivers Carl Edwards and Greg Biffle are freely doing it and posting it all over social media, but others cant
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From what I’ve seen, it didn’t take but maybe a day and it turned into a coordinated effort with the private (celebrity and otherwise) choppers to be organized and have central landing zones for resupplying and refueling, and getting stuff heading out to where it was needed.

Not sure of the ins and outs but it seemed like they got their act together fairly quickly and had a system with local authorities/organizations.

Just heartbreaking all the way around though. I hope you’re able to return to some level or normalcy soon. I know it’s not likely but trust me, even if you can’t see us or hear us, there’s a whole state, and good part of the region behind you.
 

CRC

Old Mossy Horns
thandy said:
They said they were creating a landing zone for him until this guy assistant chief or chief showed up. It could have been exactly what you said or someone could have had a temper tantrum we don't know. I am not talking either one of these guys down, heck maybe they were both wrong or maybe they were both right IDK. You seem to have some inside info though...
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No I think calling for the assistant chief to be fired is silly

A lot of people want his head without his story or understanding the situation on the ground
 
Ol Copper

Ol Copper

Twelve Pointer
Justin said:
From what I’ve seen, it didn’t take but maybe a day and it turned into a coordinated effort with the private (celebrity and otherwise) choppers to be organized and have central landing zones for resupplying and refueling, and getting stuff heading out to where it was needed.

Not sure of the ins and outs but it seemed like they got their act together fairly quickly and had a system with local authorities/organizations.
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Thats what seems odd to me, did this guy go
it alone (starting to appear that way) and not get with the multiple coordinators, and now he's acting the victim ?

I hate news stories where all sides and the whole entire story arent given
 

Justin

Old Mossy Horns
Ol Copper said:
Thats what seems odd to me, did this guy go
it alone (starting to appear that way) and not get with the multiple coordinators, and now he's acting the victim ?

I hate news stories where all sides and the whole entire story arent given
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110% agree
 

bryguy

Old Mossy Horns
CRC said:
Then he was getting in the way or things were getting chaotic in the air or on the ground so that somebody had to do something
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No he was not. It was only after the chief of assistant chief confronted the guy that the restrictions were put in place. There are tons of apps out there that show all this stuff and the pilots story matches up with the online and app stuff that is available. All you have to do is look at the pictures of the airport in hickory to see how many private helicopters there are. Those guys are coordinating with their own folks on ground and are actually doing a better job than the military is at this point. I am not bashing the military or their efforts, it is just the private guys got it together faster and are making it happen. Plus the private guys are doing a lot of ‘rescues’ bringing folks out that want to get out but can’t. It’s gonna take every single asset that is available and can be scrapped together to even make a tiny scratch in this behemoth.
 
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DBCooper

DBCooper

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
bryguy said:
No he was not. It was only after the chief of assistant chief confronted the guy that the restrictions were put in place. There are tons of apps out there that show all this stuff and the pilots story matches up with the online and app stuff that is available. All you have to do is look at the pictures of the airport in hickory to see how many private helicopters there are. Those guys are coordinating with their own folks on ground and are actually doing a better job than the military is at this point. I am not bashing the military or their efforts, it is just the private guys got it together faster and are making it happen. Plus the private guys are doing a lot of ‘rescues’ bringing folks out that want to get out but can’t. It’s gonna take every single asset that is available and can be scrapped together to even make a tiny scratch in this behemoth.
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Carolina Emergency Response Team went in (helo) and got my buddy's parents above Little Switzerland yesterday. His dad had heart surgery last month and has had complications since. They were completely cut off from the outside world.

God bless all these people.
 
DBCooper

DBCooper

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
DBCooper said:
Carolina Emergency Response Team went in (helo) and got my buddy's parents above Little Switzerland yesterday. His dad had heart surgery last month and has had complications since. They were completely cut off from the outside world.

God bless all these people.
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I just heard that they are self-funded AND that this was their 142nd successful rescue so far.

I'm donating, now.

Tying in....I JUST found out that the person this thread was started about is a member of this organization (helo pilot). God bless him and the rest of this team.
 

CRC

Old Mossy Horns
bryguy said:
No he was not. It was only after the chief of assistant chief confronted the guy that the restrictions were put in place. There are tons of apps out there that show all this stuff and the pilots story matches up with the online and app stuff that is available. All you have to do is look at the pictures of the airport in hickory to see how many private helicopters there are. Those guys are coordinating with their own folks on ground and are actually doing a better job than the military is at this point. I am not bashing the military or their efforts, it is just the private guys got it together faster and are making it happen. Plus the private guys are doing a lot of ‘rescues’ bringing folks out that want to get out but can’t. It’s gonna take every single asset that is available and can be scrapped together to even make a tiny scratch in this behemoth.
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My guess is though he wasn’t coordinating with the folks on the ground

Many of these private pilots are
 
Wirehead

Wirehead

Eight Pointer
DBCooper said:
I just heard that they are self-funded AND that this was their 142nd successful rescue so far.

I'm donating, now.

Tying in....I JUST found out that the person this thread was started about is a member of this organization (helo pilot). God bless him and the rest of this team.
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I hope he’s able to mobilize and get back out there… lots of reports of a swarm of private helicopters running ops. It’s pretty amazing to see how local and private efforts have outpaced fed government efforts by a large margin.
 

CRC

Old Mossy Horns
Wirehead said:
I hope he’s able to mobilize and get back out there… lots of reports of a swarm of private helicopters running ops. It’s pretty amazing to see how local and private efforts have outpaced fed government efforts by a large margin.
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That should not be a surprise

Govt can only do so much no matter how hard you worship it

I’m looking at you , Democrats
 
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Deerjager

Deerjager

Old Mossy Horns
After watching the video I have some thoughts. This is an extremely stressful time and no one knows exactly what was going on at the time of the supposed tantrum. I can see the pilot’s desire to contribute and this is awesome, especially considering the resources necessary to own & operate even a small chopper as a private citizen.

I can also understand the chief’s reaction to another unknown factor materializing in his area of responsibility he had no knowledge of. Maybe he overreacted, maybe not. I am sure S&R operations are difficult to coordinate (no personal experience here) and another unknown popping up may have been the last straw for raw nerves, lack of sleep, heat stress, fatigue and just the overall feeling of seeing your town devastated.

Also of note, there is no video of the encounter. Who on here can definitively state what transpired in that conversation? We are all just speculating at this point. I can say in my own little world here, the worry & stress was elevated and my household got off w/ very little damage compared to a 1/4 mile down the road or 25 minutes to Lake Lure.
 
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