Hi guys as a Helitack pilot fighting fires in both Perth & Bris urban interface I appreciate the thanks from those above.

To try and give some appreciation. Generally, we are not there to put the fire out, but get called in to assist firies in the protection of assets,
by the delivery of water from the air.
This is to knock down the intensity of the fire, so that ground crews can come in behind us and then mop up after we have dropped.
Unfortunately, with the introduction of helicopters we now find a lot of jobs we attend there are crew on the ground who dont do much as they expect us to put the fire out on our own.
After Helitacks have done a drop and knocked the intensity out of a fire, this is where ground support is needed.

Dropping of water is very effective in front of a dozer etc that may be tracking a fire. This gives the operator the confidence to keep pushing on as he knows he will have aerial support and a cooler fire to push through, as well as the back up of a fire truck close behind.

The unseen advantages of using Helicopters, backed up by traditional methods are: Ipswitch motorway (Brisbane) closed due bushfire on both verges. This road was reopened very quickly after Helitacks put out fire in inaccessable locations on motorway.

Sandgate school and Bruce Hwy nearby, both to be closed due smoke, Helitacks come in and knock out fire reducing smoke; keeping both open.

Recently in Perth, there was an intense fire in Parkerville, this is where Helicopters proved there worth. We put many a drop on houses that had absolutely no-one in attendance, there were more houses under threat, than there was appliances available to protect. There was many a good save under very difficult circumstances, and an extremely good job done by those on the ground.

As for the pilot crews, the way we do it here in WA is 4 days on x 2 days off. We start at 0900 and knock off at 1900, but will stay until last light if we are on a fire and will also start at first light if called in.

Also, here in Perth we have a Sikorsky S61 for the first time. This has come over from the US and is crewed by American Pilots, These guys do 21 days on, 21 off, touring from USA, if we get a fire that goes all day, we fly all day.

The only rest we get at times, is the 15 mins it takes to refuel, in this time i will supervise company refueller, clean windows and try and get some food in to me.

Some fires are also just too great for aerial support, eg: Canberra, the winds apparently were just horrendous, as well as the fact we just can't fly in the smoke due too disorientation.

To all the firies on the forum, hope iv'e given an appreciation of whats it like from above.

Bust I must say, to those that volunteer, Keep up the good work.

You will always have my respect!!

Greg