Mike Slattery, president of United Rotorcraft, an Air Methods division, provided the following statement regarding this week’s judicial ruling that clears the way for the state of California to procure the Firehawk — a well-known solution for broad-scale aerial firefighting:
“United Rotorcraft and Sikorsky are proud to have been selected by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) to provide the most effective firefighting aircraft for protecting the state’s residents and wildlife.
“Derived from the world’s most capable multi-mission helicopter, the Black Hawk, the S-70i Firehawk is a state-of-the-art, proven platform that boasts tremendous firefighting capability, multi-mission adaptability and an unmatched safety record, as witnessed by its successful use within Los Angeles County over the past 17 years,” he added.
“No other helicopter can deliver more water per minute than the Firehawk, and when every minute counts, it’s no surprise that this aircraft has quickly become the most effective initial attack helicopter.
“Every year, California faces deadly wildfires, and 2017 has been especially devastating. Now, this fleet will expand throughout California, vastly improving the state’s ability to quickly conquer wildfires and provide state residents with the rapid and fierce response they deserve,” concluded Slattery.