Hands-on with helicopters

Tania Chatila

The sounds of a helicopter could be heard just above Scholl Canyon

Wednesday as Glendale firefighters trained with police helicopters in

long-line tactics -- the transportation of equipment to fire

personnel via choppers.

“We do this on an annual basis because we have certain tasks that

are high risk, but are low-frequency operations,” said Glendale Capt.

Vince Rifino, referring to the helicopter transport, which can be

dangerous for fire personnel on the ground, but is a tactic used

rarely.

Long-line training is mainly used in brush fires or high-rise

fires, where it is more efficient to have a helicopter transport 600

feet of hose to the top of a building or hill rather than having

firemen trek up a mountainside or hike 20 floors with the equipment

on their backs, Rifino said.

As a high-risk operation, firefighters need hands-on training.

In Wednesday morning’s drill, a Burbank Police helicopter was

simulating the transport of hose lines, cradled in a cargo net and

attached to a line dangling from the chopper.

Fire crews helped connect and disconnect the cargo.

“When you’re in the helicopter, depth perception of where the load

is in relation to the ground, diminishes,” Rifino said. “We have to

learn to work with air crew members in a dangerous environment.”

Firefighters are trained to stand at a 45-degree angle from

helicopter pilots and are taught how to work around the load and what

areas to stand in as a helicopter is approaching a landing area,

Rifino said.

Today will be the third and final long-line day in the annual

training session for Glendale fire, which used the services of both

Glendale and Burbank police helicopters, Glendale Sgt. Richard

Phillips said.

“The main reason we do this is to assist our fire departments,” he

said. “We offer the services of our helicopter because we have

trained pilots. Rather than having the firefighters put a 50-pound

pack on their back, we can carry the load for them.”

Glendale Police and Burbank Police have two helicopters each that

are equipped for this type of long-line evolution, Phillips said.

The helicopters are housed in the same hangar in Burbank and are

also used to patrol the two cities, he said.

Along with hoses and equipment, the helicopters can also transport

food if firefighters are stuck for long periods of time fighting a

brush fire on a hillside, and also assist with clean-up once a fire

has been extinguished.