HELICOPTER

As opposed to the “call when needed” arrangement, Douglas County has contracted for so-called “exclusive use” helicopter support since 2018, according to Alexander. Since 2018, the county’s contract helicopters have responded to 34 wild res and made 416 water drops, Alexander said.

“One of our most successful missions was the 2020 Chatridge 2 re where our contract helicopter arrived with the rst units and was instrumental in structure protection,” he added.

Douglas County can also help out its neighboring counties, according to Alexander.

“One notable 2022 incident was the Snow Creek re, an assist to Jefferson County,” he added.

From June 1 to Oct. 31, 2022, Douglas County’s contracted helicopter responded to 11 wild res and made 148 water drops on res. “All res the helicopter responded to were held to 5 acres or less, and most of these did not receive any media attention due to rapid suppression,” Alexander said.

In 2022, Douglas County’s helicopter costs totaled about $1 million, according to Alexander. e county does not own any helicopters or other manned-aviation assets, he said.

“Our primary mission is initial attack wild re suppression, and we have utilized the helicopter on a limited basis for smoke investigations, lightning re reconnaissance, and search and rescue support,” he added.

“We have been able to establish a business where a lot of people know who Mike and April are and who Angie’s is,” McCa rey said. “ at makes me proud.” FROM PAGE 1 e county contracted with a company called Trans Aero Ltd. A type 2 helicopter capable of delivering 300 gallons of water to the front lines of a wild re will be ready to respond from June through October this year, according to the news release.

Additionally, the county commissioners approved four “call when needed” air support contracts for use from April 12 to Dec. 31 this year, each for up to $100,000, providing additional re ghting resources, the news release said.

Protect your home e county urged residents to register their phone lines for CodeRED noti cations, also known as reverse 911. e system alerts people by phone, email and text about emergencies in their area. It also provides instructions on what to do to protect life and property, the county’s website says. e system can notify the public about police activity, lost children, wild res and other emergencies nearby.

Wild res can strike in any season and move extremely fast, and neighborhoods can be at risk, the news release noted.

See tinyurl.com/Wild reNoti cation to sign up for alerts.

Residents can also do their part to prepare for wild res by doing mitigation work around their properties and creating a “defensible space” between vegetation and their homes, the county’s website says. For more information, see douglas. co.us/building-division/wild remitigation.

- What’s Happening with Your Property Taxes - on Wednesday, April 26 at 6 p.m., in person, by phone or online. Visit douglas.co.us and search Live Town Halls for more information.

Are you, or do you know, a Veteran in need of help?

Funds are available to provide emergency assistance to Veterans struggling with housing, transportation, employment, healthcare and other immediate needs. Visit DouglasVeterans.org to learn more.

What’s happening with your County government?

Our commitment to open and transparent government includes online posting of information about public meetings at which the business of government is conducted. To view public meeting agendas, participate in-person or remotely, or watch select meetings via live stream, visit douglas.co.us and search for Business Meetings / Public Hearings.