Emergency Management Victoria (EMV) has released a new video about firebombing and aviation awareness, which serves as a timely reminder for all those on a fireground to be prepared and alert when aircraft are in operation.
In the 2018-2019 fire season, we continued to see near misses and surrounding ground crews being impacted by firebombing loads on the fireground, either directly or by drift.
This season, we’re already seeing ground crews being affected by firebombing around the country, particularly being caught in drop zones.
CFA has uploaded the video to our intranet, which provides an overview of firebombing aircraft in the fleet, some of the watch-outs and safety critical components of interacting with aircraft in Victoria and understanding communication with aircraft and air crews.
There are inherent risks when working with and around aircraft, and this video can provide a brief understanding of some of these risks.
Suppressants and retardants dropped from firebombing aircraft can travel at high speeds, and the impact can break or dislodge material from trees.
This is a reminder for CFA people to review the Aviation Awareness category of the Seasonal Outlook and know what action to take during an incident.
You can watch the video below, or view it on the CFA Members Online page about Aviation Awareness. This web page also has information and case studies about aviation awareness and an aviation briefing video from two air attack supervisors.
Author: Daisy Cleland