S2T flies in low to drop a line of fire retardant ahead of the fire front.

are “aerial fire trucks” that ferry a ground crew of seven fire fighters to the scene, then dropped buckets of water and replenish as needed from lakes and even neighborhood swimming pools.

The CAL FIRE fleet, with mostly vintage aircraft, presents special maintenance challenges. Parts can be difficult and sometimes impossible to source for aging aircraft built during the 1960’s. When they can’t source them, DI technicians make them. This requires a resourceful and skillful team. S2Ts, known as “Trackers,” were originally submarine hunters. Designed with wings that fold so the plane can fit in an aircraft carrier elevator, each wing has 20 to 30 thousand rivets. Corrosion is a relentless problem.

“It’s like painting the Golden Gate Bridge,” says Operations Manager Art Trask, “You tackle it inch by inch until you’re finished. And then you start all over again.”

Outsourcing essential services to the right company has proved critical to CAL FIRE’s success. The government-industry partnership has benefited the state in both safety and response rates. Working with DI provides scheduling flexibility and ensures staff are available on short notice whenever needed. Besides benefits in cost and value, CAL FIRE has seen staff fatalities and staff turnover rates decline since the contract was awarded to DI in December 2001. According to Padilla, the turnover rate exceeded 50 percent in the three years prior to DI. Today the annual turnover rate is less than five percent. DI is the leading aircraft services provider bringing valuable experience, understanding, and participation. “DI staff don’t just come to a job. They’re part of the program,” said Roger Mattson, CAL FIRE’s Chief of Aviation Maintenance.

The state employees and DI‘s staff belong to different unions which actually provides greater flexibility given the different agreement terms. DI Program Manager Jeff Cavarra says the key is good employee relations. “When you have good relations between management and employees, collective bargaining agreements actually make life easier. They spell things out,” he said.

Employees appreciate the company’s professionalism. “It’s how we communicate with each other, how management disseminates information, how they handle conflict. It’s the way the company interacts – courtesy, respect, compromise, and how they deal with personnel problems,” said S2T Lead Mechanic David Hernandez.

Mike Padilla echoed the sentiment. “The value of a quality contractor is in experience and level of understanding. Quality is reflected in how they treat people, in how professional they are,“ he said.

CAL FIRE is a world class operation and a model for successful public-private partnerships. Commitment to mission and a dedicated, professional team are at the heart of this program’s success.

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     DynCorp International

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DI WORLD May 2008