Recently, El Paso County Sheriff and Fire Warden Joseph Roybal welcomed the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control’s Firehawk Helicopter and crew to the El Paso County Emergency Services facility in Colorado Springs.
The Colorado Legislature approved the funding ($24 million) for the long-awaited first custom firefighting helicopter in 2021, with near-unanimous votes in both chambers just months after another devastating fire season across Colorado.
The Firehawk is a retrofitted Black Hawk helicopter equipped to battle wildfires. In addition to custom technology and outfitting for fire crews, the aircraft sports a 1,000-gallon water tank, which can be rapidly released and capable of targeting hot spots.
“I am excited to have a strong partnership with the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control,” said El Paso County Sheriff Joseph Roybal. “Having resources such as this Firehawk helicopter available to our community and communities across Colorado will be invaluable when combatting fires and conducting search and rescue operations. I was impressed by the technical capabilities of the aircraft and helitack, as well as the historical, hands-on knowledge of the captain and crew. Wildfires can quickly devastate homesteads, neighborhoods, and communities, and this resource will allow emergency services, first responders, and law enforcement to quickly and effectively reduce the threat. I thank Battalion Chief Brenda Wasielewski for our collaborative partnership to fight wildfires in the Pikes Peak region.”
“I am grateful to Sheriff Roybal and the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office for their strong desire to partner with the state of Colorado and build partnerships in El Paso County,” said Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control Battalion Chief Brenda Wasielewski. “Colorado is a beautiful place to live, work, and visit, and preventing devastating wildfires is critical to the health and welfare of all. I wanted to bring our Firehawk to showcase another State resource, in addition to our State 10-person handcrew ‘Tava’ stationed here locally in a County facility. We are ready to support our partners by ground or by air.”
The Firehawk helicopter and crew are housed at an airport in Broomfield, Colorado. In early 2024, the Colorado Legislature funded a second helicopter, which is scheduled to be delivered in 2025.
