Firefighting helicopters come in all shapes and sizes, but few of them are quite as pricey and state-of-the-art as the machine that the state of Colorado recently ordered.
The Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control (DFPC) has signed a pledge of $24 million for the delivery of a single state-of-the-art helicopter that will presumably deliver some truly superb aerial firefighting services in the rugged forest landscapes of the state.
The multi-million dollar contract went to a Colorado-based company called United Rotorcraft, a division of Air Methods Corporation of Englewood in Arapahoe County. The company has promised the completion and delivery of a customized Sikorsky S-70i Firehawk firefighting helicopter as part of the deal.
The chopper in question is in fact a civilian use variant of the famous military UH-60 Black Hawk but with special adaptations for aerial firefighting and rescue. It will be outfitted with a 1000 gallon water tank, a retractable snorkel for refilling the tank in less than a minute, extended landing gear for accommodating the additional liquid load, and a rescue hoist for emergency medevac lifting of people in harm’s way.
The Firehawk helicopter isn’t weak on crew space either and can carry up to 12 firefighting crew with additional space for rescued individuals.
This helicopter’s firefighting mechanisms do everything possible to help the chopper stop fires so quickly that they don’t get a chance to grow out of control.
According to DFPC Director Mike Morgan, increased firefighting capacity for the state government is critical in the wake of 6,700 different conflagrations in which 744,120 acres of the state were torched throughout 2020. The Sikorsky S-70i chopper will give the DFPC the ability to fight fires with a heavy response throughout the year according to DFPC aviation unit chief Vince Welbaum.
The $24-million contract required State Senate authorization through a special funding bill and was signed into effect by Colorado Governor Jared Polis on March 21st.
The Firehawk is also about more than just delivering firefighting capacity. It will be equipped for emergency services of all kinds during natural events such as rockslides, avalanches, and floods. The chopper can also be used by the state for wildlife management, livestock counting, and search or medevac missions.
The expensive but powerful aircraft is scheduled for delivery to the DFPC in late 2022.
Civilian aircraft customization companies aren’t the only private contractors that deliver helicopter services to state governments in the U.S. Live aerial firefighting services charters are also handled by highly trained professionals from companies such as Fair Lifts aerial firefighting services.