LOS ALAMITOS, Calif.—The Quick Reaction Force helicopters are back in Southern California to fight wildfires day and night—after dumping nearly 3 million gallons on more than 50 wildfires last year.
Funded by $18 million from Southern California Edison, the world’s largest fire-suppression choppers comprises operations from three Southern California fire departments in Orange, Los Angeles, and Ventura counties.
The “helitankers” swoop down to the water source. Then they send down a retractable snorkel to draw in up to 3,000 gallons of water in just 90 seconds, before flying to the crisis and dumping water and fire retardant on the fire.
A fire-fighting helicopter water-dropping demonstration was attended by local fire officials at a news conference on the Quick Reaction Force, a firefighting effort funded by Southern California Edison, in Los Alamitos, Calif., on July 5, 2022. (Carol Cassis/The Epoch Times)
“When we say that speed and force is a required cost of doing business in today’s fire environment, we do not mean the cost of [the helicopters], we mean the immeasurable cost of the loss of life and property if these resources are not available,” Orange County Fire Chief Brian Fennessy said in a statement on the July 5 demonstration at Los Alamitos Joint Forces Training Base….