Horn pushes for fire copter to stay in Fallbrook

County Supervisor Bill Horn has submitted a change letter for the proposed 2005-06 budget which would provide the funding to keep one of the County of San Diego’s firefighting helicopters at Fallbrook Community Airpark.

The change letter submitted to county Chief Administrative Officer Walt Ekard requests money for support facilities for the helicopter.

“I’m asking Walt to find the money to put in the base for the helicopter,” Horn said.

Horn has met with the Sheriff’s Department about their needs. A place

for the crew to stay will be provided by an office with sleeping accommodations, security will be provided by fencing and the need for

jet fuel will likely lead to the acquisition of a mobile fuel truck.

“I understand what they need,” Horn noted.

The total cost for those expenses is estimated at approximately $400,000, although Horn is asking for $550,000. “I just want to make sure there’s enough money to make it happen,” he explained.

The helipad and asphalt to support a firefighting helicopter were previously placed at Fallbrook Community Airpark.

“My goal is to keep it there in Fallbrook,” Horn said. “It can be used anywhere in the county.”

Horn noted that on the day the helicopter was delivered to Fallbrook it was used to put out a fire in Pala. “Palomar Mountain is just a tinder box,” Horn added.

The County of San Diego has two firefighting helicopters, which are operated by the Sheriff’s Department and are also used for rescue and other emergency operations. If one of the helicopters remains at Fallbrook Community Airpark, the other helicopter will be based either at Gillespie Field in El Cajon, which is also where the ASTREA (Aerial Support to Regional Enforcement Agencies) helicopter is based, or at Ramona Airport, where California Department of Forestry and US Forest Service firefighting aircraft are based.

Horn and the other four supervisors will begin 2005-06 budget deliberations on June 28. “Assuming they approve it, the helicopter will stay there,” he said.