Firefighters and law enforcement agencies across Contra Costa County joined forces last week to train with the county’s new Helopods, a major upgrade in aerial firefighting capability funded by Measure X. Contra Costa Fire, East Bay Regional Park District Police, CAL FIRE’s Santa Clara Unit, and the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office participated in the multi-agency exercise, which showcased the first Helopods deployed in the county. Each unit holds 3,770 gallons of water and can be filled from a hydrant at a rate of 800 gallons per minute, making them capable of supporting the largest firefighting helicopters in service. A total of six Helopods will be placed at strategic sites across the county, including the Byron Wildland Fire Center, Marsh Creek Detention Facility, Phillips 66 Refinery, Lime Ridge, and the Highway 24/Lafayette area. Officials say the new system will allow for faster refills, reduced turnaround times, and stronger collaboration during wildfire emergencies. By increasing the speed and scale of water delivery, the Helopods are expected to be a force multiplier in Contra Costa’s firefighting arsenal—helping protect lives, homes, and natural resources during peak fire season.
Sounds like a great idea but I bet they will be vandalized, emptied, tagged with graffiti etc people have very little respect for what is not theirs…
Excellent idea! any tools to help our firefighters! I’m ok with seeing my tax $$ go to tools like this for the
Great idea! Saw this on the news. Only concern is how to address the mosquito potential.
Toss a mosquito dunk in.
Good tools, good results. Nice to see the investment. Are the locations equitable though?
A B-52 loaded with water balloons would be more effective than those helicopters and a lot more fun to watch.
Or a B-1.
Always with the correct solution . . . . . . .
Take a roll off dumpster throw some weld to it, make it water tight.
Perhaps inset a gasoline powered pump.
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Problem, how to cut down travel time for choppers . . . . . .
Somebody looked out the back door, and there sits a roll off garbage bin . . .
light bulb moment.
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My question would be, what took so long ? ? ?
Best way to solve a problem, is go LISTEN to the End User.
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Have a problem, ya look around to see if there’s something that might
help to solve it. Weld a bin water tight, add some hose fittings and
these guys are making bank.
https://pumppodusa.com/helopod/
These obviously are portable, not permanent. They will be delivered by flat bed truck when and where necessary and placed adjacent to a fire hydrant. Removed and stored when danger is over. No vandalism, no mosquitos.
Except the article stated that they will be stored in various locations how exactly will they be secured? That item is left out of the article so vandalism and theft or destruction are definitely on the table. Limeridge, highway 24/Lafayette area, wildland fire center, marsh creek detention all sound like areas that lack security and areas that won’t just be accessible to pull the tanks in and out of…nature will find a way as usual so they will definitely need to be aware of a possible mosquito problem.