United Rotorcraft – Division of Fire Prevention and Control FIREHAWK® Colorado secures contract for procurement of state-of-the-art firefighting helicopter. Share On... by United Rotorcraft posted October 05, 2021 The Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control (DFPC) announced today the signing of a contractwith United Rotorcraft, a division of Air Methods Corporation, to complete and deliver a Sikorsky S70iFIREHAWK® helicopter. Configured by United Rotorcraft with a 1,000-gallon water tank attached to the belly of the aircraft, an extendedlanding gear to accommodate the tank, a retractable snorkel than can refill the tank in less than one minute, anda rescue hoist, S70i FIREHAWK® helicopters are designed to stop fires in their tracks before they have the chanceto grow. These helicopters will allow fire crews to aggressively attack and suppress wildfires, transport up to 12fully equipped ground firefighters to the fire line, and rescue firefighters and civilians when in need.“Following one of the worst fire seasons our state has seen, coupled with the trend of increasing wildfireoccurrence and impacts, it is critical to increase the state’s capacity to respond to these incidents,” said DFPCDirector Mike Morgan. Larry Alexandre, President of United Rotorcraft, adds, “We are incredibly proud to be the exclusive completioncenter for the FIREHAWK® helicopter, and even more proud to deliver one to our home state. Firefighting andlife-saving missions hold a special place within the heart and values of our company. We appreciate the trust thatthe people of Colorado have put in us, and plan to deliver a product unlike any other.” Senate Bill 21-113, signed by Governor Polis on March 21, 2021, authorized the purchase of the S-70iTMhelicopter, capable of performing both firefighting and non-fire missions. Not only will the FIREHAWK® be an additional resource for aggressive and early initial attack on a wildfire, but itcan also be used for longer duration wildfires in the state. “A State-owned aircraft will increase DFPC’s capacity to respond to wildfires on a year-round basis,” said VinceWelbaum, DFPC Aviation Unit Chief. With its multi-mission capabilities, this helicopter is able to be used across a plethora of missions withinColorado. It can be used from rockslide and avalanche prevention to wildlife counts and livestock preservation.The FIREHAWK® ® can continue to save lives through search and rescue and medical evacuation missionThe aircraft is projected to be delivered to Centennial, Colorado and United Rotorcraft early 2022, at which pointit will begin its transformation into an elite multi-mission, firefighting machine that will serve the residents ofColorado for many years into the future. DFPC anticipates the State will take delivery of the FIREHAWK®Helicopter sometime in the later part of 2022. About United RotorcraftUnited Rotorcraft, a division of Air Methods Corporation, (www.unitedrotorcraft.com) specializes in the design,manufacture, and installation of ground and aerial mission-critical equipment for front line workers, fromfirefighting and law enforcement, to HEMS and Medevac. For more information on the FIREHAWK® ® aircraftand/or United Rotorcraft, please contact *protected email*, or Ramy Nasralla at*protected email*.