Night vision goggles shed light on CAL FIRE overnight response
HOLLISTER, Calif. (KION-TV)- Training continues at the Hollister Air Attack base as CAL FIRE crews have a new tool at their disposal this fire season.
We show you an inside look at the night vision goggles that are changing how they can fight fires from the air. These new night vision goggles allow firefighters to fight fire even when the sun goes down.
“The helicopter was ordered with what we call night vision compatible lighting, said Chief Helicopter Pilot for CAL FIRE Benjamin Berman. "So all of the cockpit lighting, all the lighting inside the helicopter, does not interfere with our night vision goggles performance.”
And while this program is expensive, these pilots say it's worth it.
I think it’ll be a huge impact to helping us mitigate some of the large fires in California and hopefully potentially keeping some smaller fires from turning into large extended attack major incidents.
Definitely, I think the taxpayers, once we are up and running and functioning at a high level of response, they’re going to notice an impact dramatically.
California’s been plagued with some pretty catastrophic and historic fires over the last five to ten years."
CAL FIRE BEU Fire Captain Phil Michael.
The goggles will not work if the smoke is too thick, but they will allow firefighters to attack a fire when it's more vulnerable.
“It gives us a lot larger operational period to be able to be effective. We can continue to operate into the night where sometimes conditions are a little more favorable," said Berman.
Night vision goggles are helping not just pilots in the air but also firefighters on the ground.
Where the fires at, the active part of the fire, helping them come up with the strategies and tactics of how they’re going to come up with a plan to suppress that fire.
At night time it's very hard to see all of that, but with this aircraft, with the NVG capability, they’ll be able to give that intel and support the troops on the ground.
This aircraft will be able to support, whether its evacuations of the community, the personel, the people, and to help protect our own fire fighters on the ground in those kind of situations and to be able to do this at night its just enhancing our toolbox.”
Battalion Chief for the Hollister Air Attack Base, Skye McGregor
Intel is helping firefighters help you firefighters said.
“Every fire is personal to us, every fire is personal to those that they affect, and we want to do everything in our power and our capability to be able to effect that kind of change in a positive manner, and in doing that, this technology will help us with that pursuit," said Berman.
CAL FIRE will continue its training through Friday night.
