Mike Tillema: "We in Aircraft Operations here at Kennedy
Space Center believe in our core values of the center. First and foremost is safety.
Safety of flight, safety of Aircraft Operations is something we think about every day."
Wildfires are a threat to human life and property. At a spaceport, an out-of-control wildfire
can have disastrous consequences. Those who battle these blazes need to always be prepared.
Mike Tillema "Aircraft Operations is called on periodically
to support our Fire Rescue teams. Our job is to be ready to be able to provide that
support at any time."
Here at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, firefighters stand ready to respond with teams
on the ground and in the air, using the latest tools and technology. This includes helicopters
and aircraft that drop large buckets of water and flame retardants. These containers are
called Bambi Buckets.
Kurt Giacomelli "The Bambi Bucket exercise is put in place
to enhance safety and to have a rapid response team in case we have a wild fire
develop here at Kennedy Space Center. We need to have the rapid response team in
place ready to go at a moment's notice so they can control a wildfire where ground vehicles
normally can't get to."
Training by Aircraft Operations teams perfect skills needed to ensure they are ready to
defend the spaceport from these hazards. A dangerous situation can erupt quickly from
a simple lightning strike during dry months.
Mike Tillema "Practice makes perfect and we train the way
we fight. And with Florida being the lightening capital of the world, it's important that
we are mission ready at all times."
A three-person helicopter crew continually practices picking up water from a nearby waterway
and dropping it on simulated targets at the center’s Shuttle Landing Facility.
The training includes a crew flying over traffic cones set up as targets over the south end
of the runway at the space center’s Shuttle Landing Facility and dropping water using
a Bambi Bucket.
Bill Martin "The Bambi bucket is used for fire suppression.
It holds 324 gallons of water and it can be use specifically to drop water with pinpoint
accuracy on a fire."
The bucket is designed to help contain a fire. For example, if firefighters on the ground
become surrounded by flames, a helicopter crew can come in at a low level and drop water
on a specific spot to open an escape route for the people on the ground.
For the recent training, the helicopter crew hovered over one of the canals surrounding
the Shuttle Landing Facility runway and lowered the Bambi Bucket into the water.
There are several ways water can be dropped on a specific target, depending on the need.
A “wet drop” requires the helicopter crew to come in and hover dropping water and wetting
down an area or a building to retard the spread of a fire.
The “spot drop” is similar, except the crew hovers at a lower altitude resulting
in the water hitting a small area, aiming to put out the blaze in a specific location.
When needing to spread water in a straight line, a “stitch drop” is used as the helicopter
flies in a direct path over a fire.
A “hook drop” involves the helicopter flying in a tight turn and releasing the water
in a curved or arched pattern.
Bill Martin "Through this training we maintain proficiency
and develop confidence to respond to any emergency."
While fighting a fire is the job of a helicopter crew operating a Bambi Bucket, safety is always
a paramount concern.
Kurt Giacomelli "Aircraft operations practices a culture of safety."
"The guys that fly together, train together. This way they know each other's personalities
and it enhances safety during the operations here at Kennedy Space Center
"Aerial firefighting is an extremely dangerous operation for everyone involved. Often, the
helicopters are working in conjunction with other aircraft and firefighters on the ground."
Mike Tillema’s "NASA's Kennedy Space Center Aircraft Operations
is one of the best in the world. Safety is key to our success."