Super soaker gets green light
Super soaker gets green light
7 January 2010
published by news.smh.com.au
Australia — The super soaker DC10 jet leased by the Victorian government to fight this summer’s bushfires has been given approval to be operational.
Police and Emergency Services Minister Bob Cameron said Victoria was the first Australian state to have such a huge waterbomber available to fight bushfires.
“While we don’t know yet exactly how effective it will be in our conditions, what Victorians do know is that we now have a greater arsenal than ever before to help fight fires and help save lives,” Mr Cameron said.
The DC10-30 can hold 45,000 litres of water or 42,000 litres of retardant and can lay a continuous line of retardant or water 30 metres wide for 1.2 kilometres.
It joins the Elvis and Elsie Erickson skycranes which are capable of dumping up to 9,000 litres of water or fire retardant, 34 fire fighting aircraft and an additional 150 aircraft available for deployment.
Victoria’s fire chiefs will determine where and when the aircraft will be deployed.
“This will be another asset as we leave no stone unturned to help deliver our goal of making Victoria as fire safe and as fire ready as possible,” Mr Cameron said.
