With all the aerial firefighting activity going on in California this week, LightRock takes a look at that funny-looking helicopter, the Air-Crane:

Reuters

Among the many aircraft involved in the firefight in Southern California is a large ungainly looking helicopter that has quite an interesting history.

This helicopter started its life in 1958 when Sikorsky Helicopter began development of a specialized heavy lift helicopter for the U.S. Army. The CH-54 Tarhe (named after a Native American tribal chief nicknamed “The Crane”) made its maiden flight in 1962 and saw extensive service in Vietnam, making its mark recovering downed aircraft. The Army purchased about 150 CH-54’s and Sikorsky built a small number of civilian versions that were designated as the S-64 Skycrane. The CH-54 saw military service for 25-30 years, but that is just the beginning of the story.

Enter Erickson Air-Crane of Central Point, Oregon. This company, as its name implies, is in the heavy lift business and they have built their company around the CH-54/S-64. Erickson is currently, by far and away, the largest owner/operator of the S-64. Perhaps even more notable is that Erickson purchased the production rights to the S-64 from Sikorsky in 1992 and since that time has been remanufacturing older CH-54’s into Erickson S-64E Aircranes and building completely new S-64F Aircranes not only for their own use, but for customers in, among other places, Italy and South Korea. Since purchasing the rights to the S-64 from Sikorsky, Erickson has made over 1,300 changes and improvements to the original design.

Erickson uses the Aircrane to support a number of industries including logging, oil and gas, and construction. One rather well known mission was the removal and, after it was refurbished, subsequent replacement of the statute that sits atop the U.S. Capitol building. Without question, the most visible mission for Aircranes is in supporting firefighting operations and they have been involved in operations around the world. A few years ago, an Aircrane worked a large fire in Australia and, more recently, flew missions during the Greek wildfires this summer.

Reuters

Erickson has continued to evolve and enhance the Aircrane’s firefighting capability. It can carry a load of over 2,500 gallons of water and/or foam/retardant. It can draft water from sources like lakes and ponds. A microprocessor based system controls discharge, adjusting for wind, speed of the helicopter and fire conditions. Erickson has even developed a system that includes a forward mounted water cannon that is capable of discharging 300 GPM, allowing the Aircrane to hover over or near a fire discharging a stream for 8+ minutes.

Next year, it will be 50 years since the inception of this unique helicopter design and it is clear that it will be around for decades to come.

Sky Crane Photo Gallery
click thumbnails to view pix

A 19th-CENTURY MUSIC HALL IN THE TOWN OF NEATH, WALES, was destroyed by a fire late Thursday night.  The Victorian treasure was nearing completion of a £4 million refurbishment and was scheduled to be re-opened as an arts center next Spring.

Evening Post photo

However, the citizens are relieved knowing that all the town’s collection of artifacts and art works that had previously been on display there, had already been removed and safely stored during the renovations.  The archives, records and historic documents which go back to the 1600s were removed about four years ago.

approx. 100 yrs. ago

Built in 1887, the Gwyn Hall Theatre was a local landmark and had served as a music hall, for council work and latterly as a music venue.  After its remodeling it was set to include cinema facilities, an interactive cafe bar, and a state-of-the-art stage and would have provided facilities for concerts and weddings.

The interior was completely gutted and the roof collapsed in the fire.  Currently the cause of the fire is still unknown.

BBC photo

BBC News has the STORY.
The Evening Post has some background HERE.
icWales has a good history of the building HERE.

Click thumbnails to view photo gallery pics

BBC photos

Evening Post photos

BACK IN 2002, SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, VOTERS approved a $159 million bond issue to build new and upgrade other police and fire stations in the city.

One of those fire stations needing renovation is Fire Station #2, currently the oldest firehouse still being used by the FD.  It was built 60 years ago and expanded in the 1980’s.  It is also the city’s busiest fire station, running 4,500 calls annually.  But by waiting so long to begin some of the projects, the costs have increased by $6.8 million overall.

In order to be able to complete the modernizations, the Mayor has proposed reducing the spending levels in some projects, including Station #2.  Now instead of spending $9.5 million on #2, the city staff wants to get by with only $7.1 million.

Enter the city councilwoman who represents the district where the fire station is located.  Since it serves a largely-hispanic section of the city, she wants to get in the mud and play the race card in what is no doubt a grandstanding attempt to garner votes.  Never mind that the city is also building a brand new fire station in the same area and is nearly completed.

The mud-fight is just getting started and the San Jose Mercury News brings you up to speed with the latest HERE.

To view images of the station over the years, click on the thumbnails:

Photos courtesy Santa Clara County Fire Dept.
For more Station #2 history click HERE.

Here we are in the midst of Fire Prevention Week, the longest-running public safety observance on record.  This is the 85th year of the promotion.

Just for the heck of it, ask some firefighters if they know why Fire Prevention Week is always celebrated on or about the 2nd week of October.  If any of them say that it has something to do with the Great Chicago Fire, give them a “B” for their astuteness.  Save the “A” grade for anyone who can tell that October 9 is the anniversary date for the conflagration that has become one of the more famous fires in modern history.

Actually, it was on the evening of Sunday, October 8 that something happened inside of the barn behind the O’Leary home at 137 DeKoven Street.  A fire started up and quickly consumed the little building.  It was a night of unusually strong winds and the air had been very dry all day.  A watchman in a fire tower saw the glow but he mistakenly presumed it was the remnants of another fire that had occurred the previous day and failed to transmit the alarm.

When the blaze spread to neighboring homes and started moving through the city, the alarm finally went out.  But the super-heated winds were carrying firebrands ahead of the fire front and starting additional fires all through the city.  The mayor immediately telegraphed to neighboring towns for assistance, but it was to no avail.  The intensity and speed of the fire was overwhelming.  Before long, the fire had spread to the water works building and the destruction shut down the city’s water pumping plant.  At that point the fire department had to give up and all the people in the fire’s path had no recourse but to flee for their lives.

Most of them ran to the Chicago River or over to the shore of Lake Michigan where they sought refuge.  The entire city could do nothing but watch as a true hell-on-earth event roared through a city of closely-packed wooden structures, accelerated by cyclonic winds.  Finally, late Monday night the winds started to subside and a light rain began to fall and the fire ran out of energy.  Come Tuesday morning it was all over, but the burned area was so hot that they could not inspect it for days later.

When it was all over, the city had lost completely an area 4 miles long and 3/4 mile wide, including 17,500 buildings - a third of the city’s valuation.  While 125 bodies were recovered, the actual fatality count is estimated at 200 - 300.  Nearly 100,000 people of the total 300,000 population were left homeless.  In the fire zone, only 5 buildings survived.  As the flames were dying down, trainloads of lumber began arriving in the city for rebuilding.

There is no doubt as to where the fire started, as it was easy to trace back the spread pattern.  But exactly how it began will never be known for sure.  Popular folklore says that Mrs. O’Leary’s cow kicked over a lantern which ignited the straw.  But in 1893 Michael Ahern, a newspaper reporter who first wrote the story, admitted that he made up the story because he thought it would sell more papers.  There are other theories involving schemes like an illicit craps game taking place in the barn, but they are only theories.  Ironically, Mrs. O’Leary’s home, seen here in a picture taken shortly afterward, was spared from the fire by a shift in wind direction.

In 1956 the former O’Leary property was cleared and the Chicago Fire Department’s fire training academy was built on the site.  There is a stylized sculpture, Pillar of Fire, erected on the spot where the infamous barn stood.

Ok, students….let’s get the equipment checked out.  I’ll see you at the coffee table.

From guest contributor Erik Smith, Salem, Massachusetts:

The Exeter “Eagle”

According to a story written by Barbara Rimkunas on the Essex Historical Society’s website, the Eagle was purchased by the town of Exeter, New Hampshire, in 1873 for $4,400. It is an Amoskeag Steamer, manufactured at the Manchester Locomotive Works in New Hampshire. It was capable of throwing 700 gallons per minute. Similar models were shipped to the fire departments of New York, Pittsburgh, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New Orleans.

The proud members of the Eagle Steamer Co. pose with their engine.
Image from the collection of the Exeter Historical Society

In 1890 the Eagle Steamer Company officially purchased its own team of horses, after 17 years of using them from a livery across the street. The fire horses were named Dick and Prince. When Dick, who was beloved by the town and known by the name Pet, died in 1900, his obituary was 39 words longer than that of the Fire Chief.

The Eagle was what was called a front line attack piece until 1928. It remained in service until the early 1940s. Some of the fires that the Exeter Fire Department credits it with fighting include the Exeter Manufacturing Company in 1887 and 1893, Phillips Exeter Academy in 1914, and the South Newmarket fire in 1894. The Eagle was refurbished in 1991 at a cost of $40,000. It is pumped annually for the public in Exeter at the Swasey Parkway on the second Sunday in June.

This Erik Smith video of the Eagle in action was taken at the Fireman’s Muster, Gorham, New Hampshire
September 8, 2007
click to play

Thanks to the websites of the Exeter Historical Society and the Exeter Fire Department.

Erik Smith is a writer and filmmaker from Salem, Massachusetts. He is also a member of the Okommakamesit Veteran Fireman’s Association in Marblehead. Erik is producing a documentary about handtub musters and is the writer and webmaster of www.salemhistoryonline.com.

AMERICAN LaFRANCE, THE COUNTRY’s OLDEST current fire engine manufacturer, is celebrating its 175th anniversary this year.  With roots dating back to 1832, the early fire apparatus maker was later organized by Truckson LaFrance and his partners as the LaFrance Manufacturing Company.

The company has just completed its move into new corporate headquarters and primary manufacturing facility in Summerville, South Carolina which is near North Charleston.  It is a  440,000 square foot state-of-the-art, custom fire and vocational products manufacturing and assembly plant, and a 57,000 square foot headquarters. The new facility includes a vehicle test track, a pump test pit and a retail store outfitted with American LaFrance merchandise and memorabilia.

In April they completed the move into their new museum which is located nearby the plant.  The museum shows 18 vintage ALF fire trucks along with educational exhibits.

The company is celebrating its anniversary by holding an Open House event next month on October 19 - 20.  It will be highlighted by an antique muster with a large contingency of antique ALF owners  convening at the plant.  Also on the ticket are seminars, tours and exhibits.

For complete details and trip-planning info, click HERE.

THE STRATHCLYDE FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICE IN SCOTLAND was called out last night to the former Nobel Industries plant in Ayrshire.  Around 8:00 pm, nearby residents heard several large explosions and then witnessed a massive flame display as several chemical containers burned and exploded.

The drums involved were stored outdoors in an isolated area, so there was no property damage.  However the blaze put on a display that could be seen 5 miles away.  During the height of the fire there were 20 engines and 75 firefighters involved.

Initial reports say that the chemical involved was  nitro-cellulose - which is used in inks and coatings. It can also be used as a low-level explosive, known as guncotton.  Strathclyde Police said around 1,500 to 1,700 tons of the nitro-cellulose had been involved in the incident. An investigation is now under way into the cause of the incident at the plant.

Paul Connelly, from Strathclyde Fire and Rescue, was in charge of the firefighting operation and said: “We still have a cordon in place and what we’re doing is surveying the site and inspecting the drums that are still there and extinguishing any small pockets of fire that are still remaining in some of the debris.  This substance was in an open bunded (sic) area so there has been very little property damage and anything that we have had we’ve been able to deal with very early on in the evening.”

Originally part of the Nobel explosives conglomerate, this plant has gone through several ownership changes in the last 20 years.  In the 1930’s it was the largest explosives factory in Europe, employing more than 13,000 people.  During WW II it was camoflaged and the government built a replica of the plant several miles north to confuse German bombers sent to destroy it.  (unsuccessfully, as it turned out.  See below….ed.)

Police say that three boys, two aged 14 and one age 10, have been taken into custody and remanded to their equivalent of the child welfare agency.

Taken from reports by the BBC and Trinity Mirror Southern Ltd.  All images courtesy BBC.

For a first-hand account of a woman who worked in the factory during the bombing, click HERE.
For a detailed history of the Ardeer explosives factory click HERE.

YESTERDAY SAW A LANDMARK GAME IN England’s Soccer League when two Division 2 teams played each other for the first time in 22 years.  Bradford City and Lincoln City teams had last met in Bradford on May 11, 1985.

Bradford’s stadium, Valley Parade, was a 77-yr.-old wooden structure that hadn’t been maintained because of chronic financial difficulties.  With a capacity of 6,000 it was configured to restrict movement of the patrons from one section to another or to gain access to the playing field.

The Lincoln City game was the final one of the season and Bradford had clinched the league championship.  Everybody was ready for a game day of celebration.  But shortly before the completion of the first half, a fire erupted underneath the stands in the G section and spread rapidly, causing panicky fans to pour out of the stands.  The referee stopped the match as the crowd continued to pour onto the pitch.  Within four minutes the fire had raced through the entire grandstand on that side of the field, trapping many patrons in the back.

When it was over, there were 56 people dead, nearly 250 seriously injured, most with severe burns, and another 200 injured but not transported.  Most of the deaths were people trapped in the rear and unable to get out because of inward-opening doors and locked turnstiles.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

The match was being televised regionally.
Click to play this video © Yorkshire Television
Warning: Graphic scenes of people burning.

And the result of yesterday’s match?  They played to a 1-1 draw.