Date: June 21, 2002	Contact: Darren Pudgil
	tel: (619) 531-5894

"FLYING FIRETRUCK" HEADED TO SAN DIEGO
Roberts Secures Funding for Seasonal Helicopter

SAN DIEGO – As the fire season begins, Board of Supervisors Chairman Ron Roberts today announced
that a state-of-the-art firefighting helicopter will be brought to San Diego to help battle brushfires, structure
fires and assist in rescue operations.

"This could be the worst fire season ever in San Diego,” said Roberts, adding that precipitation levels for the past several years are at record lows. “Essentially, this helicopter will be able to help San Diegans in their hour of need, without taking an hour to get there.”

Roberts and San Diego City councilmember Byron Wear made the announcement at the site of a recent fire that scorched 20 acres in Mission Trails Regional Park.

The helicopter is a Bell 412 Twin Turbo, which has seating capacity for 14 passengers and the ability to transport and discharge nearly 400 gallons of water.

In addition to dousing flames, this specially equipped helicopter would be enormously effective in a number of life-threatening scenarios. For example, when a car accident occurs in a remote, hard-to-reach area, the helicopter could aid in a rescue effort by delivering equipment like the “jaws of life."

Lifeguards also would be able to utilize the helicopter to rescue swimmers who get caught out beyond the surf line or trapped along a cliffside.

Other capabilities include flying in paramedics to emergency situations, plucking someone out of a flood channel, and providing rapid roof-top evacuation from high-rise buildings in the event of a fire.

The helicopter will be stationed in San Diego for three months beginning August 1. The cost to lease, staff and maintain the aircraft during this period is $470,000, with $230,000 coming from the Service Authority for Freeway Emergencies, of which Roberts is a member; $190,000 from the City of San Diego; and $50,000 in County Community Reinvestment Funds, which was secured by Roberts.