CFA and DSE fired up for water bombing

By Emma Brown
Updated November 2 2012 - 3:34pm, first published December 16 2010 - 5:19am
Wedouree CFA firefighter Shaun Russell and the DSE's Damian Sharrock loading the Airtractor 802 as part of the training at the Ballarat Airport. Picture: Zhenshi van der Klooster
Wedouree CFA firefighter Shaun Russell and the DSE's Damian Sharrock loading the Airtractor 802 as part of the training at the Ballarat Airport. Picture: Zhenshi van der Klooster
The Airtractor 802 at the Ballarat Airport. Picture: Zhenshi van der Klooster
The Airtractor 802 at the Ballarat Airport. Picture: Zhenshi van der Klooster

WITH the fire season almost upon us, local emergency services took a refresher course in loading fire-bomber aircraft.Nineteen members of the Country Fire Authority Wendouree and three employees of the Department of Sustainability and Environment Midlands region took part in the drill.The aviation accredited group went over the finer points of refilling two AT-802F Single Engine Air Tankers at Ballarat airport last night.The aircraft can take three-and-a-half-thousand litres of water, foam, retardant or gel for dumping over a fire, CFA district 15 operations officer Wayne Rigg said.He said training and re-accreditation for the bomber loading crew is vital. “If there was a fire going on you could imagine there would be a lot of noise, fumes, and it would probably be a hot day so you have be on your game,” Mr Rigg said.Crews are taught to fill the bombers very quickly, which is vital if there are six or eight planes ready to go.Last night the crew practised both cold loading — filling the aircraft when the engine is not running — and hot loading — filling the plane with the engine running.The two aircraft used in the exercise were from Stawell but there are up to 50 aircraft situated around the state.Behind the controls of one of the planes was pilot Keith Davidson who has been flying water bombers since 1972.“The precision of these guys is incredible. They are very accurate and very professional in what they do,” Mr Rigg said.He said the Midlands bomber loading crew is made up of people from the CFA, DSE, Parks Victoria and Department of Primary Industry.They number around 30 and may be called upon to help out anywhere in the state.

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