REMEMBER WHEN

GOLD COAST BULLETIN Saturday October 30, 2004

“THANK you Mini Me, you’re fantastic.’’

That was the heartfelt sentiment from residents in North Street, Nerang after Queensland Fire and Rescue Service unleashed its latest firefighting weapon — a firebombing helicopter nicknamed Mini Me, on a bushfire in the Nerang State Forest that was bearing down on 30 homes.

The Squirrel AS-350/B3 helicopter, fitted with a 1200litre tank under its cabin, dropped an amazing 13,200 litres of water on the flames in 45 minutes and stopped the fire in its tracks.

Mini Me was given its nickname after it sat on a tarmac beside the giant Elvis helicopter during the devastating Canberra bushfires.

“ll I can say is thank you Mini Me, you were marvellous,’’ said North Street resident Kim Lang.

”It came in low, right over my house and the windows vibrated and I jumped with fright.

”But I didn’t mind because it was doing such a great job of protecting the houses in our street. I couldn’t believe how quickly and how frequently it was bombing the fire. It was amazing.’’

Another North street resident, Susan Richardson, said Mini Me had saved the day ``All the fireys did a great job in keeping North Street safe, but that helicopter was just fantastic,’’ she said.

QFRS area director Jeff King who controlled the water bombing and the fireys on the ground from the observer seat in Mini Me said it was the first time the helicopter had been used on the Gold Coast.