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'Black Knights' Aid in California Fires

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS071106-10
Release Date: 11/6/2007 3:27:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialist Seaman (SW) Sarah E. Bitter, Fleet Public Affairs Center, Pacific

NAVAL AIR STATION NORTH ISLAND, Calif. (NNS) -- The "Black Knights" of Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron (HS) 4, based at Naval Air Station North Island, assisted in the California firefighting efforts Oct. 23-29.

Four Sailors assigned to HS-4 flew the SH-60F Seahawk helicopter, using forward looking infrared (FLIR). FLIR is an airborne imaging sensor system, incorporating thermal, low-light and daylight imaging.

"The FLIR is our eye in the sky," said Lt. Cmdr. Gregory Leland, HS-4 maintenance officer. "It enabled us to spot and track the fires at night. We just returned from a work-up in Fallon, Nev., training for convey escorts using the FLIR, and I feel that training is why we were able to [provide] aid [to] this operation."

The FLIR sensor was used to relay fire movement at Mount San Miguel to the emergency operations center and played an integral role assisting fire tracking throughout Southern California.

The FLIR operator is vital for guiding the direction of the system on its target.

"I tracked and spotted the fire progression by guiding the FLIR," said Aviation Warfare Systems Operator 2nd Class Garret Keller, HS-4. "I also aided by giving the guys a broader spectrum for the FLIR placement on the ground."

There were 214 active-duty service members, 72 DoD civilians and 2,492 National Guardsmen engaged in ground or airborne firefighting or security and relief operations. In addition, the DoD provided 18 fire engines.

Eighteen helicopters and 14 fixed-wing aircraft from the Navy, Marine Corps, California National Guard and Air Force participated in the firefight, including C-130 airplanes equipped with modular air firefighting systems.

"I felt like I was able to contribute to a real-world situation," said Lt. Lukin Lain, HS-4. "When we got the call to launch and perform, I really had a great feeling of job satisfaction at the end of the night."