The year 1957 saw many important events. The Frisbee was invented. Humphrey Bogart died. The former Soviet Union Launched Sputnik. And, Ghana became the first European colony in Africa to declare its independence. But along with these momentous milestones, one significant occurrence received only moderate recognition in Los Angeles — the founding of Los Angeles County Fire Department’s Air Operations Section. It began with the acquisition of a single Bell 47 helicopter from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. But from these modest beginnings, one of the largest aerial firefighting forces in the United States was born.

Early History
Even though Air Ops, as it became known, would acquire many more aircraft over time, it was 10 years before the next helicopter, a Bell Model 204B with a 320-gallon tank. In the intervening years, Air Ops worked with the U.S. Forest Service to set up helispots at strategic locations around the county to provide water and engine company support for wildfires. Over the next few years, they acquired a Bell 206A Jet Ranger for reconnaissance, replaced their earlier helicopters with Bell 205As and added EMS (Emergency Medical Services) response to their duties. In 1989, the first Bell 412 was added, followed by three more leading up to 1993.

Into the Fire
In 1993, the Air Ops fleet consisted of eight aircraft: One Bell 206B III Jet Ranger, three Bell 205A’s, and four Bell 412’s (two of which were High-Performance models). All of these aircraft served yeoman duty in the fall of that year when wildfires raged across Southern California. Without them, who knows how much more damage may have been done and how many more lives might have been lost.

FireHawks
In 2001, another major milestone was reached – the addition of two brand new Sikorsky S-70A FireHawks. This firefighting variant of the venerable Blackhawk used by the Army (and the equally successful naval variant, the Seahawk) were acquired because of the increased need of EMS and firefighting missions throughout Air Ops’ operating area. By now, Air Ops staffed two 24-hour Air Squads, one 10-hour Air Squad and, for the first time, a 10-hour Fire Ship (during the fire season). A third FireHawk was acquired in 2005 and two Bell 412 EP (Extended Performance) helos in 2006.

Mission Types
With its sizeable stable of aircraft, Air Ops can fulfill several different missions: Firefighting, EMS, Swift Water Rescue, reconnaissance missions, and reseeding of burn areas. As part of the firefighting mission, helitorches and other aerial ignition devices can be used in support of burn-out and backfire operations. Although firefighting is a key focus of Air Ops, EMS calls constitute large proportion of their time. Reseeding of burn areas can be accomplished much more quickly from the air, so Air Ops’ Bell 412s suspend a seed bucket from their cargo hook (after removing the water tank) and head off to sow some wild oats (so to speak).

Award-Winning Service
Not only does Air Ops win praise from the public, they also win awards. The 2008 Igor I. Sikorsky Humanitarian Award is being given to LA County Air Ops by HAI (Helicopter Association International) for their work in the fire and EMS realms. This statement from HAI sums up the job Air Ops does quite nicely: “We congratulate the dedicated men and women of the Air Operations Section as they continue to save lives, protect property, battle wildfires, and provide outstanding service for the next 50 years.”

Activity Level
Air Ops personnel are never idle. In 2006, they had more than 400 fire responses, nearly 1,200 rescues, transported more than 15,000 passengers and moved more than 23,000 lbs of cargo, not to mention dropping an impressive 1,772,562 gallons of water and foam on fires. Needless to say, they don’t have to worry about having boring days, especially in the fire season, which in LA seems to cover almost the entire year with the current drought. It seems safe to say that they will be the centerpiece of rapid response to emergencies 24/7 for the foreseeable future. Here’s to the next 50 years, guys!

To see photos of a tour of Air Ops and a ride-along out to Fire Camp 8 in Malibu, visit Firebomber Publications at www.firebomberpublications.com and scroll down to the "L.A. County Fire Air Ops Helicopter Adventure" section.