Helicopter Drill

Fire Dept. Hosts Helicopter Drill in Santa Monica Mountains
Posted: November 17, 2020, 1:30 p.m.

On Tuesday, November 17, 2020, the County of Los Angeles Fire Department and the Orange County Fire Authority Air Operations Division will prepare for future major fire events in the Santa Monica Mountains.

As part of the Expedited Resource Response Plan Pilot Program, Los Angeles County Fire Chief Daryl L. Osby coordinated with Orange County Fire Authority Chief Brian Fennessy to conduct the day and night preparedness drills.

The day drill will be at Helispot 69 Bravo located at 22500 Saddle Peak Road, Topanga at 4:00 p.m, and the night drill will follow at the Camp 8 Helispot in the Santa Monica Mountains located at 1900 South Rambla Pacifico, Malibu, CA 90265.

The exercise involves the largest tanked helicopter in the world, a CH-47 Chinook, that has the capacity to deliver 3,000 gallons of water with each water drop.

“It is important and vital that we continue to partner with our peers to provide each other with critically needed air and ground resources that are essential at a moment’s notice, especially during large-scale wildfire events when lives and property are threatened,” said Los Angeles County Fire Chief Osby. “We continue to learn and grow from past and present wildfire incidents, such as the Woolsey, Lake, and Bobcat fires. With wildfires increasing in intensity and size, we must all work together to be prepared and best strategize how to bolster our ability to protect communities when they need us the most.