picnic supper at Riverside Park by the rose garden.
Jim Carroll and his wife
Sherry enjoying their
Chubby Chicken before we get started
Chubby Chicken before we get started
Members find time to
visit whether it is around the picnic tables or in the
parking lot.
With the cars
parked
it was time to head into the operations offices
it was time to head into the operations offices
Our guide and host was waiting for us where
she expalined
the Fire Control Center and how they go about
dispatching the different
fire crews that are needed for the various fires in the
province and also when the
planes are to be dispatched and where they are to go.
Jim had picked the right night for the cruise as the air tankers were in and the fire season had not yet started. The pilots had time to show us their planes and explain them to us.
If he had waited a week we would have been on the outside looking in through the fence.
Jim had picked the right night for the cruise as the air tankers were in and the fire season had not yet started. The pilots had time to show us their planes and explain them to us.
If he had waited a week we would have been on the outside looking in through the fence.
Conair is the name of the company that owns the planes
used as a "Bird Dog".
This is the plane the Fire Officer travels in and directs the air tankers in regards to their approach to a fire and how to make their drops.
Small in size but quite quick and practical.
Can carry between 500 and 800 gallons
Depending on the model but can carry between
2800 & 3000 gallons
The Convairs get the fires farther out as they have the ability to fly further distances and carry a greater load of fire retardant.
BC and Alberta fight their fires with fire retardant whereas the other provinces tend to use more water in their fire fighting.
Only way in is up the ladder.
visit the cock pit and find out
what it takes to fly an air tanker
As you can tell the shadows were getting to be quite a bit longer meaning the end of the day.
It was a terrific tour for a Cruise Night.
