Share Over 816,000 rescues and sorties are performed every year countering fires across Europe, and the resources required to fight fires are as diverse as the landscape. Aerial assets are key to successful firefighting efforts, as Mandy Langfield identified
The past few years have seen an increase in demand for aerial assets globally. Agencies around the world are looking for more resources to deploy water from the sky as fire seasons are ravaging once pristine landscapes. But how do resources and tactics change in different continents?
Brittany Wise of Erickson told
AirMed&Rescue: “From an operator’s perspective, aerial firefighting is standard practice depending on the platform and chosen application method. Operators must adapt their strategy based on localized regulatory and safety requirements (i.e. duty time, flight hour limits); however, agencies worldwide differ in their needs, preferences, and use of aerial assets. Individual agencies have different approaches to executing initial and extended aerial attacks on fires based on local regulations, challenges, and tactical, operational strategies. These individualized approaches vary by country and are specific to each region to ensure maximum effectiveness of the aerial resources sourced. Countries and their supporting fire agencies have a difficult task balancing risk and costs while protecting their constituents' lives and property.”