Military Personnel to Enter Fire Lines Next Week

[Judi Lynn]

Military Personnel to Enter Fire Lines Next Week
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Oct. 30, 2003 – About 560 military personnel will enter the fire lines in California around Nov. 3, Pentagon officials said today.

The "firefighting battalion" will help with the Cedar Fire in San Diego County. Officials could not say what service or where the battalion will come from. The troops must still go through training and be certified before they can deploy to the fire lines.

The battalion will join the Defense Department's airborne attack on the most destructive fires in California's history. Six modular airborne firefighting system C-130s and six helicopters with fire suppression buckets already have begun missions.

The C-130s come from Colorado, Wyoming, North Carolina and California. The helicopters are from the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing at Miramar Marine Corps Air Station, Calif. (snip/...)

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Oct2003/n10302003_200310304.html