The Department of Fire and Emergency Services manage contracted aircraft and other aviation services to support emergency management and incident response across the State.
DFES also manages the RAC Rescue Helicopter network, the State’s only dedicated emergency rescue helicopter. The service provides vital, all-hazards search and rescue services with critical care aeromedical capabilities 24 hours a day, every day of the year.
DFES operates a sophisticated aerial fleet to respond to fire and other emergency incidents, supporting firefighters and incident managers on the ground to protect lives, property, and the environment throughout Western Australia’s bushfire season.
DFES deploys Helitaks (aerial fire suppression helicopters) when public safety or assets are considered at imminent risk, when fire-fighting crews are in immediate danger, during extreme fire behaviour, or when high fuel loads are likely to accelerate the spread of a bushfire.
Since their introduction in 2002, Helitaks have proved to be a versatile, powerful, and efficient aerial resource for firefighters in their efforts to save lives and homes. DFES’ utility helicopter and Helitaks support operations and transport personnel, food, water and fuel to isolated communities during significant natural disasters, such as flooding.
Under the Bush Fires Act 1954, the Fire Brigades Act 1942, and the Emergency Management Act 2005, Helitaks are legally permitted to collect water from private residential and commercial land.
The Helitaks commonly source water from lakes, dams, streams, reservoirs, and portable collar tanks.
Water sources are chosen based on proximity to the incident, access to the water source, visibility, level and suitability of water available with little or no potential risk to public spectators.
Helitak pilots need to have high visibility when supporting firefighting crews on the ground, which is why Helitaks can only operate during daylight hours.
A hovering Helitak’s rotor can produce wind gusts of up to 80km/ph and if community members are too close, they may be redirected to other water sources, costing precious response time. Keep at least 75m to the side of the Helitak’s flight path.
During a significant bushfire, DFES will call on additional fixed-wing bombers from The Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA).
These aircraft assist DFES in containing large bushfires and support the ground crews and helicopter fleet. They are capable of carrying and dropping up to 3,200 litres of water.
Both DBCA and DFES aircraft are on standby through contract arrangements during the southern bushfire season and operate from nominated operational bases strategically located at Jandakot, Serpentine, Bunbury, Busselton, Manjimup and Albany. There are also 40 forward operational bases situated throughout WA, from Kalbarri in the north to Esperance in the southeast.
Like Helitaks, Fixed-wing Bombers can only operate during daylight hours. However, due to the location of their nominated operating bases in the region, they can be redirected quickly to high-priority fires at short notice.
Air Intelligence aircraft assists our Incident Management Teams with critical, strategic decision making by providing real-time incident information and intelligence, including an uninterrupted, live-streaming view of the incident. Highly trained firefighters provide situational awareness and assessments on the potential impacts to the community and critical infrastructure.
The Line Scanner can be used to establish and maintain strategic situational awareness, fire detection, disaster planning and management, and fire and flood mapping operations. The aircraft is fitted with a range of sensitive thermal and visual sensors, and a broadband satellite data communication system which enables rapid transfer of data from the aircraft to users on the ground.
Line Scanners create thermal mapping images (pictured left) which provides detail on fire front locations and maps the extent of the affected area. The Line Scanner works in conjunction with other firefighting aircraft to support ground firefighting crews.
The Large Air Tanker (LAT) can be utilised for both initial attack and retardant line building to support ground crews. The LAT is accompanied by a delegated fixed-wing air attack platform and Air Attack Supervisor. Its flexibility enables the LAT to work in both the urban interface and remote areas such as parks and forests.
Operating around the clock, every day of the year, RAC Rescue provides vital, all-hazards rescue support services for the public.
The mission of the service is to save lives and support all-hazards emergency operations by rapidly deploying and inserting the rescue capabilities of the aircraft and its personnel directly into an incident. If required, the RAC Rescue Helicopter can transport the rescued directly from the incident scene to the appropriate medical facility. The helicopters are equipped with state-of-the-art rescue aeromedical equipment and provide a vital emergency link for people in Western Australia.
RAC Rescue was established as the State's only emergency rescue helicopter service in August 2003. In February 2016, a second RAC Rescue helicopter expanded the network into the South West region. The two helicopters operate as a network and cover approximately 90 per cent of the State’s population.
Since the commencement of the Bunbury-based RAC Rescue service in February 2016, the mission tempo of the service increased by 94% in the first year of operating as a rescue helicopter network. This expansion of the emergency rescue helicopter service provides an invaluable lifeline for those living in remote and rural areas and has responded to over 9,500 missions to date and flown over 2,000,000 kilometres across WA.
The RAC Rescue helicopters are sponsored by RAC, funded by the State Government and managed by the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES).
RAC Rescue has the very best people involved and the latest state-of-the-art equipment to back them up.
Each helicopter is crewed by a Pilot, Aircrew Officer and a Critical Care Paramedic. During critical hospital transfers, a doctor may also be on board.
RAC Rescue flight crew, aircraft maintenance engineers, and support personnels are based at Jandakot and Bunbury Airports and can be airborne and on their way to an incident within 15 minutes of receiving a call.
RAC Rescue takes part in a limited number of community events and training exercises. We also arrange reunions for those rescued by RAC Rescue, so that they can meet the flight crew who assisted them.
To request RAC Rescue for an event, exercise, rescue reunion or to schedule a base visit, please complete the online Event Request Form.
For specifications on suitable landing sites and safety guidelines, please read Safety Procedures at Community Events.
The RAC Rescue Experience enables you to take to the sky with the crew using virtual reality technology. The four-minute, 360° video experience takes you on a mission on board one of the RAC Rescue helicopters.
Click here to find out more and submit a booking request.