If the Council approves this plan--and I'm confident they will--it means that we'll have a second helicopter operational as early as August of this year, prior to the fire season.

The second helicopter will be staffed around the clock with a pilot, crew chief and paramedic-the same staff setup we have with Copter 1.This will allow the Fire-Rescue Department the ability to maximize copter availability, minimize response times, and provide for greater mission flexibility.

Ever since the Cedar Fires the Fire-Rescue Department has placed the purchase of a second helicopter at the top of their priority list, and I'm pleased that we'll be able to make this a reality.

Having two fully staffed fire-rescue helicopters will go a long way toward ensuring that resident have access to immediate and continuous aerial fire suppression, rescue, and emergency medical services. Staffing a second helicopter is essential to the department's ability to always have at least one helicopter operating at all times, and to provide additional support to allow us to respond to multiple, concurrent and large-scale emergency incidents.

It's important to note that we wouldn't be at this point if it weren't for the overwhelming generosity of a number of large and small corporate and private donors who have donated to the department's helicopter fund.

Now that we're on the verge of making a second helicopter a reality, we are hopeful that generous corporations and individuals will continue to step forward to help us fully fund the purchase and operation of this helicopter.

A Fact Sheet on Copter 2 can be accessed at the following link: