(Originally published at Fire Aviation)
While on a water dropping mission on November 9, the second day of the Woolsey Fire in Southern California, a Los Angeles Fire Department helicopter received a new assignment. Civilians were trapped on a mountain top as the fire approached. Even as they were running critically low on fuel the pilots found a way to land on a ridge top that was littered with communication towers and vehicles.
The video below was shot from a pilot’s helmet camera.
It was great work, team work, by the pilots to successfully pull this off. We appreciate that he filmed what they were doing, and that their department approved and helped to publicize the fact that the recording exists. Some public agencies have draconian rules about their employees or the public taking photos or recording video of their activities. Videos like this can help citizens understand what fire departments do and how they are carrying out their missions even as politicians may lob uninformed verbal assaults their way.
CAL FIRE says the Woolsey Fire has burned 96,949 acres and 1,500 structures, with no breakdown of residences vs. outbuildings. The number of civilian fatalities has remained at three for several days.
helo pilots, FIRE, SAR, Medic everyone of them are angels.
Spectacular aviators…great teamwork. Thanks again for sharing Bill. Not sure we would ever get so ‘up close’ to realize the great work these folks do.
God Bless every one of them that takes on any job in Public Safety. We forget how fortunate we are to have men and women willing to take this on.