THE LONDON Fire Brigade (LFB) in the UK is considering whether to use helicopters in emergency operations.
Tenders are being invited for a study contract to evaluate whether a helicopter could be useful. Depending on the results, an operational trial may follow.
The Brigade says that it has so far identified only the Eurocopter BK.117 C-1 Plus as being suitable, but one of the contractor's tasks will be to recommend types.
LFB officer Jeff McCall explains: "We are not looking at using a helicopter to replace pumping appliances. What we are looking at is the idea that we can support front-line appliances by deploying specialist personnel and equipment as soon as the need is identified at an incident."
An LFB report to the London Fire and Civil Defence Authority notes that growing traffic congestion and "traffic-calming" measures "severely affect" the Brigade's deployment capability.
It says that there is a particular need for specialist equipment at incidents involving underground construction; salvage and damage control; and traffic accidents where fire or chemicals are present, as well as other situations.
The London Metropolitan Police already have Bell 222s and the city's Helicopter Emergency Medical Service uses an Eurocopter Dauphin. McCall says that the Brigade has looked at joint use of helicopters with the other services, but its unique equipment-needs make that impracticable.
Source: Flight International
