BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- Recently, Kern County Fire Department helicopter pilots completed their annual ground and flight training and evaluations with Bell Helicopters. They then joined the Orange County Fire Authority, Santa Barbara County Fire Department, the Orange County Sheriff, and the Anaheim Police Department in an interagency Night Vision Goggle (NVG) fire suppression drill near Lake Irvine in Southern California.

The exercise was the first time that the five agencies operated at night together and conducted helicopter fire suppression activities in a mutual support role.

Approximately 100 personnel took part in the exercise.

The drill primarily addressed helibase operations, flight communications and water dropping operations, also interagency coordination and standardization issues.

The law enforcement agencies flew fire department personnel over the scene in their helicopter as a command and control role, while the 3 fire agencies conducted water dropping operations on a fire perimeter.

All participating aircraft were operated utilizing NVG technology by the crews.