County of Los Angeles Fire Department orders two more Firehawks
The helicopters will be used to expand the county’s existing aerial firefighting fleet in response to growing demand
The County of Los Angeles Fire Department, in the US state of California, has announced a new contract with Sikorsky for the supply of two more S-70i Firehawk helicopters to bolster its fleet.
The aircraft will be used for wildfire suppression, rescue, and emergency medical services missions.
The helicopters feature a 1,000gal water tank that can be refilled in under a minute, twin-turbine engines capable of speeds of up to 287km/h, and night-vision-compatible flight controls.
“The Firehawk helicopter has been the cornerstone of our aerial firefighting capability for more than two decades,” said Anthony C Marrone, Fire Chief of the County of Los Angeles. “Adding two more proven platforms enhances our ability to respond to all types of emergency situations across the county and contain wildfires before they get out of control, even under the most challenging conditions.”
San Diego County – also in California – recently announced its own purchase of a Firehawk.
Oliver Cuenca
Oliver Cuenca is a Junior Editor at AirMed&Rescue. He was previously a News and Features Journalist for the rail magazine IRJ until 2021, and studied MA Magazine Journalism at Cardiff University. His favourite helicopter is the AW169 – the workhorse of the UK air ambulance sector! He also led the creation of Waypoint: The AirMed&Rescue podcast, serving as its Production Editor and co-host.