fire fighting
Lakeview Helicopters are FENZ, Fire And Emergency New Zealand, approved operators providing a safe and reliable aerial firefighting and emergency response service.
We can respond quickly to a FENZ callout and work closely with private companies, the Department of Conservation, and local councils as part of their network of service providers for aerial support. Our crew and aircraft are ready and prepared to respond at a moment's notice to any callout that may be received. Based at Taupo Airport, we cover the Central North Island with the ability to respond across the entire North Island—and even to the South Island if required.
Our aircraft feature high-visibility blades, GPS tracking, and flight data recording systems to uphold the highest safety standards. Combined with the ARENA emergency response system, we ensure rapid response times.
Our aircraft are equipped with collapsible fire buckets, allowing them to draw water from various sources, including oceans, lakes, dams, and rivers. When natural water sources are unavailable, they can also be filled by fire trucks. These buckets feature fire foam injection systems for enhanced fire suppression effectiveness.
Our aircraft are backed by experienced pilots and well-trained Ground Crew, supported by our ground support fleet, a 18,000-litre fuel truck, and 1,900-litre fuel trailers to ensure a reliable fuel supply for any callout.
Regular in-house training, along with sessions involving FENZ personnel, helps maintain the highest level of safety around the aircraft.
Some of our equipment:
Cloudburst 1000 L
This collapsible rapid deployment bucket is fast to fill and effective to use. With its multi drop valve it is a very effective fire fighting tool. Combined to the AS350B2 helicopter this is the perfect combination.
Cloudburst 1200 L
This collapsible rapid deployment bucket is fast to fill and effective to use. With its multi drop valve it is a very effective fire fighting tool. Coupled to the AS350B3E this is an ultimate combination to strike fast to get fires under control.
CLOUDBURST 1500 L
This collapsible bucket, with the ability to be carried in the machine to and from the fireground. With 1500L of water hitting the fire you will see a very effective knockdown when things are getting out of control. This bucket is paired with our medium HUEY helicopter.
Foam INJECTION
All of our aircraft have foam injection systems for fire fighting. Combined with our modern buckets this makes an effective fire fighting tool