A steady hand has helped rescue a rescue boat.
Mike Holcroft, of Access Helicopters in Okotoks, used one of his helicopters on May 25 to lift the local fire department's rescue boat, which had run aground during a training session on the Sheep River the night before.
There were no injuries in the boat running aground.
"We move diamond drills so it is like aerial crane work -- it was kind of right up our alley," Holcroft said. "The boat was pretty heavy so I had to make sure it had every ounce of water out of it to get it to work."
Holcroft hauled out the rescue boat from a pile of driftwood on the south bank of the Sheep at about 3 p.m., behind Cameron Crossing School. There were several onlookers from the nearby walking trail taking in his work.
Holcroft initially tipped the boat vertically to pour out all the water.
He then lifted the helicopter -- using a technique called long-lining -- and was able to place the boat on the truck with the assistance of individuals on the ground.
Holcroft became aware of the situation when he drove by the river on Sunday night.
"I saw the boat and I called the fire department and said, 'Hey, it looks like you may need a hand give me a call'," Holcroft said.
The fire department received a Holcroft hometown discount.
Okotoks acting fire chief Pat MacIsaac said it was a good lesson for the public -- and his crew -- concerning the dangers of the fast-flowing Sheep River in the spring.
"You need to train under realistic conditions and in training like this there is a risk," MacIsaac said. "The lesson today (for the public) is stay away from the river in conditions like this."
