CAL FIRE Aviation Program holds key training session at Folsom Lake

If you saw CAL FIRE helicopters flying over Folsom Lake recently, scooping up or dumping water, it was part of an essential training day for crews as they ready themselves for the next lifesaving mission. On Thursday, May 7, helicopters and nearly 40 personnel rotated through aerial firefighting scenarios at Folsom Lake as part of two foundational aviation courses: Basic Helicopter Operations and Safety (BHOS) and Flight Crew Initial (FCI). The CAL FIRE helicopters only flew in areas that are not restricted airspace or raptor-protected zones. Linnea Edmeier handles communications for CAL FIRE and told The Folsom Telegraph the crews have already undergone intensive classroom work and simulations at the CAL FIRE Aviation Training Center, but a pivotal part of training is actually getting out in the real world, and in the air. Some of the exercises crews worked on may sound basic, such as loading passengers onto a helicopter, yet if a standard system isn't in place, crews can lose valuable minutes responding to an emergency. "Lets say we go to a fire and we have to load some hand crews into a helicopter to take them to a remote location. They're training on how to do that safely," said Edmeier. Another exercise was cargo loading onto the helicopter, which can be more challenging than it sounds. "If we have to take a load of water to a remote area, they'll work with the helicopter on how to do that safely, and that's pretty dynamic because the helicopter is actually hovering over you when you're hooking it up," explained Edmeier. Crews also worked on water scooping, water dumping and target description exercises. These exercises ensure CAL FIRE crews are on the same page using a standardized protocol. What this means is crews from all over the state can respond to the same event seamlessly, working in unison by the same safety standards. "That training that people are seeing out at Folsom and will continue to see, it's essential for us," explained Edmeier. "It's essential for the community, it's essential for California, it's essential because we don't know where the next fire will be, we don't know what time of year. We're mission ready because of this type of training." This training day in Folsom came as part of Wildfire Preparedness Week, when communities are being urged to clear defensible space around their homes. It's been well-established that California is at risk of fire year round, so crews must always be ready. Edmeier explained the risk factors change throughout the year: Grassfires are more prevalent in the early months, whereas timber and brush fires become more rampant in the later months when conditions become more hot and dry. CAL FIRE has fuel modeling and keeps an eye on risk factors throughout the state. Key training periods such as the one over Folsom Lake ensures crews are ready to take on the next emergency safely and with the precision for which they've become known. To learn more about CAL FIRE Aviation, visit CAL FIRE Aviation Program.