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The Year 2000 Fire Season The 126th fights California's wildfires by CW4 David Rosenthal |
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Among a wide variety of other missions, the aircrews of the 126th Med Company are trained and qualified in heliborne firefighting operations. With the onset of the "most serious wildfire season in more than ten years," the need for heavy-lift water-dropping helicopters brought us into action throughout California.
The 126th's Black Hawks are capable of handling a 770-gallon water bucket which makes them "Class I" helicopters, according to firefighting aircraft standards used by the California Department of Forestry. Though our classification puts us in the highest performance group, it also takes us right up to the limit when it comes to operating--especially since we're used under some of the most demanding and dangerous conditions as we battle fires in the steep, nearly inaccessible terrain only an aircraft like ours can reach.
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Our crew--CW4 Rod Cain, SSG Rell Schwanke, and myself--headed out to CDF's Helitack Base at the Columbia airport, east of Stockton. As an "initial attack" aircraft, we'd launch on recently spotted fires, sometimes the first to arrive. |
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In the back, we'd carry a crew consisting of our CDF Fire Manager and a tightly knit team of initial attack firefighters.
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We'd land near the fire, the team would deploy the bucket, then assault the blaze. Meanwhile, we'd go to a dipping site we'd spotted on the way and begin dropping water to help them. In back, our CDF Helicopter Manager would stay in communication with our team.
Often too, we'd meet our CDF Air Attack fixed-wing aircraft who'd take over and coordinate the entire operation. This usually included air tankers and ground units. The state has the procedure down to an art now. |
Sometimes, however, our assignment was slightly different...
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