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By Chris Jennewein
Reposted with permission from Times of San Diego, a member of the San Diego Online News Association
Photo: The San Diego Sheriff’s new Bell 407GX patrol helicopter
April 12, 2015 (San Diego)--San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore and other county officials unveiled a new $4.8 million patrol helicopter, bringing the agency’s fleet to eight with a ninth on the way later this year.
Gore was joined by Supervisors Bill Horn and Dianne Jacob at a ceremony on Thursday.
The new, five-passenger Bell 407GX will be used for patrol and search and rescue operations. With the addition of a hanging bucket, it can also be used in firefighting missions. The copter will be operated by the sheriff’s ASTREA department.
The sheriff’s department is also in the process of purchasing a Bell 205 firefighting helicopter to increase the agency’s firefighting helicopters to three.
By the end of 2015, the sheriff’s fleet will have nine helicopters. Six will be dedicated to 24/7 law enforcement operations and three to daytime firefighting and search and rescue operations.
Comments
New Helo
Where does the money come from? Oh yeah,.from us. Why is the County Sheriff trying to become a firefighting agency? The money must go to CalFire.
http://www.fire.ca.gov/