Workers were doing aerial surveys to count deer and moose as part of wildlife management
Three Alberta government workers and a pilot were injured in a helicopter crash over the weekend, according to the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE).
The workers were on board a Bell 206B helicopter that hit the ground approximately 23 nautical miles southeast of Camrose at around 9:45 a.m. on Sunday, Global News reported, citing the Transportation Safety Board (TSB).
The union members are employed by Alberta Environment and Parks, and were doing aerial surveys to count deer and moose as part of wildlife management when the incident occured, according to the union.
Two crews and two helicopters were asked to respond to the incident, according to the Global News report, citing a spokesperson for STARS Air Ambulance. STARS 3 from Edmonton was first to arrive on the scene near Daysland.
All three workers, along with the pilot, were sent to Edmonton hospitals, it said.
Two patients with traumatic injuries were flown by STARS to a hospital in Edmonton. The patients were a 46-year-old man who was taken to the University of Alberta Hospital and a 43-year-old woman who was taken to the Royal Alexandra Hospital. Both arrived in stable condition, according to STARS.
“Our hearts are broken for these workers,” said Bonnie Gostola, AUPE vice president and chair of the union’s Occupational Health & Safety committee. “No worker should have to worry about whether they’re going to make it home at the end of a shift.
“Our thoughts are with the injured workers, with their families, and their co-workers.”
The TSB investigation will try to determine the cause of the crash.
Previously, a pilot was badly injured during a plane crash in Montreal’s Dieppe Park in October 2021.
“Scientific surveys like these are important to determine population size of deer and moose populations and are needed to ensure that the department allocates game animals appropriately to ensure sustainability of the populations and provide opportunities to Albertans,” Alberta Environment and Parks said in a statement Tuesday.
“Due to the nature of our work, Environment and Parks staff require a helicopter or small plane to carry out their duties. Some of this work, such as conducting aerial wildlife surveys, monitoring ice conditions on northern rivers and measuring snowpack in the mountains, are activities that require the use of an aircraft.”
Meanwhile, the union said it expects Alberta Environment and Parks to renew its focus on workplace safety, according to a report from The Canadian Press.
“Workers need to know that their employer is doing everything to stop tragedies before they occur,” said Bonnie Gostola, union vice-president.
“No worker should have to worry about whether they’re going to make it home at the end of a shift.”
A city of Vancouver worker was seriously injured on the job on Sunday. The incident happened just two weeks after a long-time city of Vancouver worker died following an accident in the workplace.
