Words by

John Pearson

@johnpearson@grapevine.is

Photo by

John Pearson

Iceland has no armed forces, but the nation’s coast guard often steps into the gap to undertake certain specialist tasks. One of those is fighting fires from a helicopter using a large container—known as a “bambi bucket”—slung underneath to drop water on the flames.

We joined a coast guard helicopter crew at their Reykjavík base and hitched a ride to Skorradalsvatn, a lake in the west of the country, to watch them tackle a fire-fighting training exercise.

Click on each pic for full effect…

Flight Preparations

Chief pilot Sigurður Wiium briefs pilots Brynhildur Bjartmarz and Haukur Harðarson – photo by John Pearson

Brynhildur and the Super Puma H225____________________

Hoist operator Jón Erlendsson checks the rotor____________________

Cockpit Control

Brynhildur flies us to site____________________

There is no shortage of controls and instruments – photo by John Pearson

Sigurður oversees operations____________________

Airborne Over Reykjavík

Jón travels next to his bambi bucket____________________

Over the rooftops of Reykjavík – photo by John Pearson

Navigation Officer Jóhann Eyfeld____________________

Field Exercises

A lakeside landing to rig the bambi bucket – photo by John Pearson

It can pick up 1660 litres of water from a lake____________________

Sigurður points out the drop-zone____________________

Firefighting From Above

Take-off with bucket attached____________________

Photo by John Pearson

Water dropped bang on target____________________

Stowing Bambi

Derigged and back in its bag, the bambi buckets weighs 120kg – photo by John Pearson

All hands on bambi!_____________________

Heave!____________________

Debrief And Return

A quick post-drill debrief before Haukur flies us home – photo by John Pearson

Coast Guard Chopper Crew____________________

A bagged bambi is useful for a post-drill chill________________________

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