Agency to work with firefighters
Water officials are poised to get into the firefighting business.
In the next couple of days the Castaic Lake Water Agency and the Los Angeles County Fire Department are expected to formally announce plans to collaborate in fighting brush fires more effectively by enabling water dumping helicopters to suck up water from tanks strategically placed atop the hills on agency property.
Members of the CLWA board who apparently by their silence were weary over debate surrounding Senate Bill 634 perked up at Thursday night’s board meeting when agency General Manager Matt Stone began talking about fighting fires.
“I like the idea,” board director BJ Atkins said. “It’s exciting.”
Board director Jerry Gladbach said the same thing; “I think it’s a great idea.”
Assembled board members who remained silent when Stone updated them on SB 634 which was on its unobstructed way through the state Assembly, suddenly straightened up in their chairs when talk turned to Firehawk helicopters dropping in on agency to restock with water.
Under the plan, the Los Angeles County Fire Department would supply the tank and the agency the location and the water from a hydrant already in place.
“They have a fleet of Firehawk helicopters and we have a helicopter landing pad here at the agency,” Stone told the board.
“They approached us and requested to partner with us in locating a small water tank on our property here from where they can restock (with water),” Stone said.
Board members were shown a colorful slide of a helicopter hovering over a tank the size of most larger hot tubs, lowering a tube into the water and, according to Stone, that would draw water it would store and take to dump on brush fires.
“The helicopter would lower its suction nozzle - it reminds me of a wasp - and fill up on water without having to land,” Stone explained. And fill up in an area that is centrally located.
The proposed helicopter water tank would be atop the hills on the north side of Newhall Ranch Road near Bouquet Canyon Road.
“We have a good location for them,” he told the board members.