The Quick Reaction Force Game-Changing Partnership
In this video created by Edison Energized, Southern California Edison explains about the partnership behind the game-changing Quick Reaction Force (QRF) between SCE, Orange County Fire Authority, Los Angeles County Fire Department and Ventura County Fire Department.
As a supplier of aircraft for the QRF program, Coulson Aviation’s helicopters and teams were able to operate 24/7, working with fire agency aircraft and personnel to boost protection for communities across the counties. This included the mighty CH-47D very large helitankers, S-61N large helitankers and an S-76 intelligence gathering aircraft.
SCE contributed $18 million last year to lease the firefighting equipment in partnership with the three counties.
Newly released statistics show how prolific and valuable the helitankers were last year:
A total of 1,836 drops on more than 50 separate fire incidents
2,607,496 gallons of water (equal to 4½ Olympic-sized pools), 28% dropped at night
123,455 gallons of fire retardant, 19% dropped at night
SCE noted that the night-time performance of the QRF was what stood out.
"The combination of night-flying capabilities — night hovering, night-time filling of retardant and dropping — is what is remarkable and unique," said Troy Whitman, an employee of SCE and a 29-year veteran of fire management.
"Taking the full extent of aerial firefighting and going nocturnal is unprecedented anywhere in the world."
"Climate change continues to affect the wildland fire environment in ways never before experienced," said Orange County Fire Authority Chief Brian Fennessy, an early and consistent supporter of the utility-fire agency partnership.
"Speed and force are key to successfully suppressing wildfires while small and before becoming mega fires. The QRF is the first of its kind 24/7 aerial task force and has changed the way fires are fought from the air."
Coulson Aviation was pleased to be part of such a game-changing and successful force for California.
Photo by Douglas Glen Morrison
Photos by Aviation Spotters Online: Photographer – Dave Soderstrom