The Los Angles Fire Dept. might be getting another helicopter, City News Service reported Wednesday. A City Council committee reportedly recommended the acquisition, after learning of the current state of the fleet.
According to the report, only three of the department’s six helicopters were available to respond to brush fires in May. The following month, the council asked the General Services Division to give a report on the state of the department’s fleet. Unable to give a full report at the time, the General Services Division completed the report Wednesday. Following that presentation, the council reportedly recommended the fleet increase.
The Los Angeles Fire Dept. recently took delivery of a Leonardo AW139, according to multiple local news outlets. The fire department said the helicopter is equipped with a Honeywell Primus Epic integrated avionics suite. It carries a 350-gallon water tank. News reports said that the department also recently took delivery of an Erickson Skycrane, which is under contract for six months.