WORLD’S LARGEST FIREFIGHTING HELICOPTERS “MAKE A SPLASH” ON 2024 WILDFIRES, SEEK PERMANENT HOME IN SOCAL

The Quick Reaction Force (QRF) has already dropped over a million gallons on nearly 100 wildfires in 2024 – and “peak” wildfire season has yet to even begin…

THE HISTORY: Since its inception in 2021, the QRF, which is sponsored by Southern California Edison and operated by three Southern California Fire Departments — Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA), Los Angeles County Fire Department (LACoFD), and Ventura County Fire Department (VCFD) — has saved untold lives and protected countless properties. Its proven effectiveness as the world’s first 24/7, fully nocturnal wildfire aerial task force led to it becoming a year-round asset in 2023, a year in which the fleet dropped 934,371 gallons of water and retardant on 64 wildfires. This, combined with numerous cost analysis reports demonstrating the QRF’s consistent and undeniable success in saving not just lives and property, but also taxpayers’ money, further underscores the program’s immense public benefit.

THE PRESENT: As impressive as that is, those numbers have already been eclipsed in 2024, which is fast becoming one of the most active wildfire years in recent history. Today, the year-round fleet is made up of three CH-47 Chinooks, which are the largest firefighting helicopters in the world and can hover-fill 3,000 gallons in 90 seconds; an S-76 intelligence helicopter; and a mobile retardant base that can mix 18,000 gallons of retardant per hour. In just the first seven months of 2024, the fleet not only dropped 1.3 million gallons of water and retardant on 85 fires, but also bolstered data collection efforts with Interra, building upon collaborative work that is essential to tactical decision-making on wildfires.

THE FUTURE: After spending more than $100 million to launch this game-changing public benefit over the past six years, SCE is working with the Fire Chiefs of the program’s three agencies; Assemblymember Cottie Petrie-Norris, Chair of the California State Assembly Committee on Utilities and Energy; and other leaders to create a more sustainable funding method to keep these aircraft fighting wildfires in Southern California well into the future.

QRF MEDIA B-ROLL / INTERVIEWS: QRF MEDIA KIT B-ROLL DROPBOX

• QRF Helitanker Firefighting B-Roll: 00:05 to 5:38
• Steve Powell, SCE President and CEO: 5:38 to 6:16
• Brian Fennessy, OCFA Fire Chief: 6:16 to 7:31
• Dustin Gardner, VCFD Fire Chief: 7:32 to 7:48
• Anthony Marrone, LACoFD Fire Chief: 7:49 to 8:00
• Assemblymember Cottie Petrie-Norris, Chair, Committee on Utilities & Energy: 8:01 to 8:27

Additional QRF Background: Fighting Fires From Above – SCE Fire Agency Partnership

Southern California Edison PIO Reggie Kumar (626) 388-0234
Orange County Fire Authority Captain/PIO Sean Doran (714) 357-7782
Ventura County Fire Dept. PIO Andy VanSciver (805) 389-9769
Los Angeles County Fire Dept. Captain/PIO Sheila Kelliher (213) 200-2477

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