1,600 horses are ready to take the fight to the flames in a single engine air tanker that holds 750 gallons of fire retardant, and this is just the little one. The tanker base assistant manager for the last eight years, Jake Lloyd says, “Behind me is a BA-146. It holds 3,000 gallons. We have roughly, seven or eight of those flying right now.”
Before the greatest support system for firefighters on the ground can take off to attack the flames from above, the support system for the support system needs to happen. “We have people that mix the retardant, people that load the retardant. The marshals that wave their arms to park and maneuver the aircraft, the ramp manager is the one coordinating where all the aircraft are going. We’re keeping track of all the retardant pump, we’re keeping track of all the flight times, and we’re talking to them on the radio,” says Lloyd.
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