Erickson in five-year firefighting deal with LA

Erickson Incorporated announced on 3 September that it had inked a new five-year contract with the City of Los Angeles for the provision of aerial firefighting services. The greater Los Angeles area, one of the most populous and high-value regions in the US, often faces high temperatures and an arid climate during the summer that can lead to fires, noted Erickson.

Udo Rieder, CEO of Erickson, commented: “We have tremendous respect for the expert firefighting authorities in the greater Los Angeles area and their devotion to keeping the City and its people safe from fires. We are proud to provide continued support to these courageous firefighting crews and their crucial missions through our aerial firefighting efforts.”

The new contract includes five guaranteed years of service with five optional one-year extensions thereafter, as well as a 150-day-per-year minimum availability, up from 90 days in 2013. Erickson said the contract represents the next chapter of its 14-year presence in the Southern California region, including its fire suppression agreements with Los Angeles County and San Diego Gas and Electric.

Erickson will provide one S-64 helicopter equipped with the company’s proprietary 2,650-gallon fire suppression system, a detachable water tank with multiple refill options and eight coverage levels for targeted fire suppression. The Los Angeles Fire Department Air Operations Center at Van Nuys Airport will serve as the staging area for the helitanker, which will be available for fire suppression efforts at all times during the contractual service periods, which began 7 August 2014.

Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Ralph Terrazas said: “The Los Angeles City Fire Department is pleased to continue working with Erickson, as both our department and our residents value the company’s elite aerial fire suppression services. Together, our two organisations help save lives and resources when time is of the essence.”