Components of Aerial Firefighting

When conducting an aerial firefight there are several different goals in mind. Firefighters could be trying to rescue a trapped victim, ventilate the fire, or stream water onto the fire from above. To accomplish these tasks several different tools must be used.

Aerial Ladder

An aerial ladder is used to get firefighters to a higher vantage point, if necessary. Most aerial ladders have some sort of water tank or piping system and are capable of pumping 300 to 500 gallons of water from the higher point. This allows the firefighters to douse some of the biggest flames that the smaller nozzles are incapable of dousing. However, being in a higher vantage point allows the fire to heat the water more easily as well, making the water less effective on a per gallon basis, but more effective on a per second basis.

Firefighting By Helicopter

Firefighting by helicopter is necessary in some instances, especially when it is a forest fire, or a fire in a very tall building. These situations require that water be dropped in from very tall heights, and helicopters are the only thing capable of doing that. Helicopters use a variety of different methods to drop water, some using a transportable water source, and some using large lakes nearby to get water from. Slings and basins are the two main resources employed by helicopters to drop water, but there are a couple of others. Buckets are another common form. Buckets are harder to disperse then basins, and are not as precise or as versatile as a basin. Many helicopter are specially equipped with electronic precision instruments to control the flow of water.

Fire Rescue By Air

Air rescue is an important aspect of aerial firefighting. The lives are most important of all of the factors in fire fighting. Firefighters are trained to rescue humans first before even trying to fight a fire. Once the humans are free, then they are able to combat the fire using all means necessary. Aerial fire rescue is sometimes required, such as when the ground floors of a building are on fire and the ladders can't reach up high enough. Helicopters can raise to heights and rescue people from the tops of buildings. It is also helpful when a house gets surrounded by a forest fire, or all exits are cut off. The helicopter can fly in and rescue the people with the use of a rope, ladder, or by landing and letting them climb aboard.