California fire long line rescue at night!

[TheGreenGoblin]

The dramatic rescue of two firefighters who had become trapped by deadly wildfires in California can be seen in footage that highlights the danger the blazes pose.

The Marin County Fire Department requested the urgent rescue of the firefighters who had become trapped on a ridgeline at Point Reyes National Seashore and were unable to make it out of the path of the advancing inferno at 8.15pm local time on Friday.

The helmet-cam footage, released by the Sonoma County sheriff’s office, shows the firefighters standing on the ridgeline and quickly kitting up to be hoisted to safety by helicopter.

As the aircraft ascends, the pair can be seen clinging onto a rope as the flames grow behind them.

“Had it not been for that helicopter, those firefighters would certainly have perished,” Mark Essick, the sheriff of Sonoma County, said.

The Sonoma sheriff’s helicopter Henry-1 responded to the emergency because it “is the only helicopter in the region capable of conducting a vertical reference long line rescue at night”, the sheriff’s office said.

In a post on social media, it added: “To complicate the situation further, the fire was creating strong, gusting winds that intensified as Henry 1 flew closer to the head of the fire.

“Henry 1 landed approximately a mile from the firefighter’s location and the tactical flight officer (TFO) configured the helicopter for long line rescue with a 100-foot long line.

“The TFO subsequently attached himself to the long line and was flown to the location of the firefighters.”

From the Independent...

[TheGreenGoblin]

Henry 1 Unit Sonoma County...

https://www.sonomasheriff.org/about-helicopter-unit

I tip my hat to these brave people and a fine organisation.

L3 Wescam MX-10 camera with infrared and digital cameras

Wire Strikes

Internal Oxygen tank for medical missions

PA speakers

Dual hook system for long line rescue operations

Night Vision system (NVG)

Moving Map

Rescue Equipment

Medical Equipment

[TheGreenGoblin]

These Californian fires are huge...

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... acres.html

[Rwy in Sight]

All much impressive for a night time rescue with changing light conditions.

[llondel]

They've suspended air operations over my local fire due to poor visibility in the smoke. I think it's now the third largest in California history, only kept out of second spot by the one to the north.