The Orange County Fire Authority and Quest Diagnostics revealed a new “HeloPod” on Friday, which officials said will assist in firefighting efforts in and around Orange County.
Situated in San Juan Capistrano off of Ortega Highway on Quest Diagnostic’s property, the HeloPod station with its 3,700-gallon tank will serve as an easy-access water refilling station for helicopters, said OCFA spokesperson Sean Doran, giving firefighters a water source in a strategic location in order to have a faster turnaround time during fires.
Before this installation in rural San Juan Capistrano, the nearest refilling station was in Dove Canyon, which has a typical 12-minute turnaround to the Ortega Highway area. Now, with the new station, that time is cut in half, Doran said.
The HeloPod works with an auto-pump, which was installed and funded by the Santa Margarita Water District. When a helicopter comes through to pick up water for a fire, the station will automatically pump more water back into the tank at 850 gallons per minute to almost immediately replenish the reserve.
“We are bolstering the area’s resilience against potential disaster,” said SMWD Board President Saundra Jacobs. “This HeloPod endeavor has been a long awaited dream for the community. It is a testament to the power and shared vision of ensuring the safety and wellbeing of our community.”
The tank won’t not require an engine company – a group of firefighters who specifically handle the connection of water to the engines – which frees up crews to focus on the fire. For night refills, the tank can be lit up seen from about seven miles out, officials said.
This addition to the OCFA’s firefighting resources helps address the difficulties presented by a year-round wildfire season in California, Doran said, boosting the organization’s ability to achieve its goal of restricting wildfires to 10 acres, or less, 95% of the time.
OCFA Fire Chief Brian Fennessy said the new facility will…
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