SoylentNews is people
SoylentNews
With California experiencing two years of unprecedented wildfires that have left more than 20,000 homes destroyed and scores dead, the private firefighting business is booming. These brigades work independently from county firefighters; their job is to protect specific homes under contract with insurance companies.
Their work can vary from pushing back flames as they approach properties to reaching the site before the blaze arrives and spraying homes with fire retardant.
But the private forces have generated complaints from some fire departments, who say they don't always coordinate with local crews and amount to one more worry as they try to evacuate residents and battle the blaze.
"From the standpoint of first responders, they are not viewed as assets to be deployed. They're viewed as a responsibility," said Carroll Wills, communications director for California Professional Firefighters, a labor union representing rank-and-file firefighters in the state.
What began more than a decade ago as a white-glove service for homeowners in well-to-do neighborhoods has expanded in recent years as the wildfire danger has increased, said Michael Barry, a spokesman for the Insurance Information Institute, a not-for-profit organization that educates the public about the insurance industry.
https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-private-firefighters-20181127-story.html
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 29 2018, @08:15PM (9 children)
I thought about replying seriously to you, but if you are unable to make sense of this rather simple thread then you've got bigger problems anyway.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 29 2018, @08:26PM (8 children)
I understand the thread perfectly fine. Bob_super claims these private firefighting agencies could not use firefighting aircraft (which they do have access to) if they wanted to because it requires "coordinating with the firefighting command", as if that is some insurmountable task.
The actual reason they don't use that tactic to protect private land (at least not often) is it is not cost effective for protecting individual homes.
(Score: 2) by bob_super on Thursday November 29 2018, @10:04PM (7 children)
Bullshit.
There are legal implications to taking your private craft to a firefighting zone. Unless you are explicitly contracted and certified for it, you're a liability, to the guys in the air and on the ground, and a lawsuit waiting to happen.
My neighbor is becoming a fire department helicopter pilot. He's going through years of police and fire-specific training (at least 4, maybe 5).
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 29 2018, @10:30PM (6 children)
I thought you already agreed that the private firefighting agencies had access to people with these qualifications:
https://soylentnews.org/comments.pl?noupdate=1&sid=28819&page=1&cid=767899#commentwrap [soylentnews.org]
So we are going in circles now as you try to cover for making shit up.
(Score: 3, Informative) by bob_super on Thursday November 29 2018, @11:02PM (5 children)
Can you understand the fucking comment you quote ?
If you're not under contract with the fire agencies, it doesn't matter how good you are, you ain't flying.
You're a liability, even if you can single-handedly stop the fire with an auto-gyro.
The agency contract checks your qualifications, and deals with liabilities if your mere presence results in any damage, injury or death. No contract, no playing near the big boys, no legal standing to be in evacuated zones.
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Friday November 30 2018, @12:24AM (4 children)
Please just stop pulling shit out from nowhere...
1) Whats your evidence for this in general?
2) What is your evidence that being certified as an insurance response resource is insufficient for this?
I am NOT talking about the need to get some sort of approval from the local fire/whatever authorities. You are saying it is basically impossible to legally do anything involving flying around in these areas unless you are being paid by the government.
(Score: 2) by bob_super on Friday November 30 2018, @12:52AM (3 children)
https://tfr.faa.gov/tfr2/about.jsp [faa.gov]
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Friday November 30 2018, @01:19AM (2 children)
This doesnt answer my questions. We all know already about the existence of restricted airspace.
The issue is whether private firefighting air personnel could get approval to enter if they so desired (assume they have all the same certifications as the gov-paid ones who are being allowed to fly). I mean really it isnt "whether" they could, it is what would they need to do to accomplish it. You claim there is no way?
(Score: 4, Interesting) by bob_super on Friday November 30 2018, @02:03AM (1 child)
Outside of active battlefield air support, I can't think of a more dangerous mission for a pilot than low-flying surrounded by smoke, shifting winds, and extreme thermals. It's hell.
Would you allow guys who, regardless of training, have different objectives and do not answer to the same chain of command ?
Fire support aircraft collisions have happened before, and nobody wants to make a terrible situation worse.
I was watching up to 6 aircraft attacking a hot spot at the top of my mountain. It's an awesome synchronized ballet where the two small tankers, the bigger one, and the three helicopters come in sequence. I'm pretty sure that they rehearse regularly to avoid mishaps (need to ask the neighbor).
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday November 30 2018, @02:09AM
OK, so you are just assuming things based on some weird fantasy world where the right money wouldnt make it happen.