Colorado's $57 million firefighting helicopter program plagued by problems, internal report says

Boise Helitack has a pretty cool ride! For the last several years, the crew has been evaluating the UH-60 Blackhawk in an effort to find the next generation of firefighting aircraft. Take a look at how it excels in safety and capability while allowing the crew to adapt to the specific needs of BLM Fire and Aviation. #NotYourOrdinaryJob #DOIDelivers #FirefightingResources | Bureau of Land Management - Idaho

What’s a helitack crew? 🚁🚁 A helitack crew is a team of highly trained firefighters and their pilot who are transported by helicopter to provide rapid initial attack and assist with rescues—particularly in areas that are remote, rugged, or inaccessible by vehicle. Their aerial deployment gets them to the incident within minutes and begin suppression efforts right away. On the ground, they use hand tools, chainsaws, and other equipment to stop a fire’s spread, while the helicopter supports thei

KERNVILLE HELITACK: A look into the lives of elite firefighters that respond to wildfires by air

#CALFIREMEU Using Copter 601, Howard Forest Helitack personnel have been training on the use of Night Vision Goggles to aid the personnel and department in safely and efficiently working at night while perfecting the all-risk mission. This training and the usage of the aircraft in the evening hours (when fire spread typically slows), will aid in the Departments fire protection objective to keep unwanted fires at 10 acres or less 95% of the time and enhances our interoperability amongst county fi

Colorado helitack crews utilize new training in high-altitude rescue over the weekend