My understanding is the inner helmet separated from the outer shell. Why that would make a reason to be discussed or be told not to discuss, is way over my pay grade???

Just to clarify, I was NOT at the crash site, just at the BTM pits area on Thur and Fri helping load everything back to go home to MO.

As far as Sue, She is the strongest woman I have ever met... It was amazing how she worked to get everything done and in place, when inside she had to be just miserable.

Same with all the memorials, Many of us were very emotional in our own ways, and she held it together. I hope I can be 1/2 as good of man as she is woman...

Scott,

Thank you for your post as well as your service.

I too have been in a similar situation and was going through what you are going through right now. It will seem like the phone calls and the emails will never stop coming...

I took some advice from counsel that I have to say was the best advice I was ever given. I was told to document my experience and what I saw as soon as possible, while everything was fresh in my mind. I was told to write it down or better yet, send myself an email with all of the details. I am always the 1st to admit my memory is horrible to begin with. As time goes by some details might be forgotten... So now at least I can go back many years later and pull up exactly what I saw because I documented it.

In a different situation, I had all of the images I shot of the incident not for the sake of taking some horrifying images, but for the fact it documented everything and with a time stamp. Those images to this day have not gone public just as the ones I have of BIG THUNDER. These type of images I gather are collected and brought to the manufacturers of canopy boats in hopes they can learn what worked and what didn't work.

So with your thread here, you have documented what you saw and heard.

Just a suggestion like counsel had given me, take some time and send yourself an email of every detail you can possibly remember on what you witnessed during the race week. The day of Big Thunder's crash and anything that occurred the following days there after. Details of who you spoke with ect...

5 or more years from now, you will be glad you did... Should you be called to testify you will have your testimony already prepared. I like the fact of emailing it to yourself as well, because that is proof of when it was actually written.

Best of luck to you.

Thoughts and prayers to all that have been effected by last week's events... :(

WE as in you, me and the rest of the OSO general public. Absolutely the racers and teams can call for changes, but again, that isnt us right now.

Ive been involved in a rescue in KW. I discussed it with the personnel there. Our rescue was fine but it could have went south real quick for me. I talked to those that had the power to make a difference. I think THAT gets things done a whole lot quicker than having people who werent there, dont know, and dont matter to JC arguing about it.

Not trying to shut anybody up ... just tryin to actually get something accomplished. :party-smiley-004:

Penaltybox,

Thanks for your service in KW. You tow a long way down there to help and that deserves alot of credit. I sent you a PM so anyway that I can help please let me know.

Thanks

That is where I think you start to go wrong, and yes it sounds like you are trying to shut folks up from discussing. Who is arguing?

There folks here from all kinds of motorsports, with all kinds of experience including safety......so if someone doesn't want to discuss or read (or maybe even learn) about this topic here, then they shouldn’t participate, just keep things status quo and we’ll all see what happens.

I think all of you should get off Penalty Box's butt, all two of you.. I agree with Nort, this man was just trying to vent, not look for people to tell him what he should or shouldn't do or who to talk to for "real changes" or results, sounds like he tried that. I was at the races, like I am every year for the last 6, with a large group of friends from California. We were a little surprised at the lack of "visible" medical support there. I recall seeing one ambulance in the pit area.

Anyway, you did a great job Penalty Box. It's nice of you to offer your boat and services.

Scotty, Email sent. Call me bud.

Racegirl, your intent may have been different, but to me, your post did come across as to not to discuss his actions here but to take them up with SBI. He did go to them directly, additionally Scott has not mentioned anyone from SBI reaching out to him asking for a debrief for improvements. Even after any successful crash free race, I can't believe that after action reports/debriefs don't occur to better improve the event, let alone one with fatalities.

I concur with Nort, this is the place to discuss this, not only does this site have members directly associated with SBI, but numerous other race organizations that may benefit from the info. Going to them directly may not be enough, however, if enough people discuss the problem, it is likely to get remedied. If this was a local neighborhood poker forum, I could definitely see your point.

As much as I respect Pat D for what she does and like Dawn, I have to disagree with both your comments. SBI cannot be allowed to "investigate" this themselves and the Coast Guard is really not qualified to know what they are investigating. During one of our races we had a horrendous crash that thankfully did not result in a fatality (at the same time another boat was over on the opposite side of the course). The follow up investigation from the CG was several phone calls but very little else. No one even inspected the boat. Since these accidents resulted in deaths I'm sure more investigation will be done but they haven't even locked down the boats so how much could really be done? There are so many things that are "supposed" to be taken care of during tech inspection that may have contributed to at least one of the deaths and maybe all of them. Who is going to go over the boats and find out if they were teched? Who is going to check the safety systems like the escape hatches, air system, and helmets? (The BTM helmets were not the only ones that SBI was interested in.) After that who is going to compare the number of safety, medical, and patrol boats against other comparable sites? Who is going to look into the qualifications of the safety people on the water? Who will assess race com procedures, volunteer operations, helicopter ops, and even the communication between the various law enforcement, safety, and USCG personnel? There are so many questions and someone without a huge financial interest should be looking for the answers. Unless the racers consider themselves expendable then they should want these questions answered also.

Wow!