The Forest Fire Service has been involved
with the use of aircraft designed to support our mission
of reducing the occurrence and intensity of wildland
fire for many years. As early as 1927, Colonel Leonidas
Coyle recognized the utility of using aircraft to assist
in the suppression of fire. An early State Firewarden,
Col. Coyle was instrumental in orchestrating the acquisition
of a square mile of land located in Burlington County,
near the Ocean County border that would become the aviation
facility that bears his name today. The early aircraft
in this program were used for observing and mapping
fires. As a map was completed, it was tucked into a
sack containing sand and dropped to the firefighters
below. It was not until 1937 that radios became available
for use in these aircraft.
In 1961, a Stearman biplane operating
out of Coyle Field managed to drop 5,220 gallons of
retardant on various fires, at 100 gallons a pop. This
effort showed promise, and by the mid 1970's, the state
had a contractor providing seven Grumman Ag-Cat drop
planes capable of delivering 250 gallons of water each.
In 1977, a total of 605,700 gallons were dropped on
fires throughout NJ.
Today, New Jersey is heavily
involved in fire aviation. In addition to the nine Ag-Cats
(now capable of 300 gallons each), we contract a PZL
M18B Dromader delivering 600 gallons, and through the
Federal Excess Property program we have acquired two
Bell 206 Jet Rangers, two Bell 205 Hueys, one Bell 47
helicopter and two fixed wing observation aircraft.
These aircraft are based at the aviation facilities
operated by the Fire Service, located at Coyle Field,
Aeroflex Airport, and Strawberry Field. Coyle Field
is the state's primary facility for aviation maintenance
and operations. Aeroflex Airport in Andover has a full-service,
fixed-base operator (FBO), which offers tie-down and
hangar storage, as well as fuel (100LL), maintenance
and flight instruction. It has over 50 private aircraft
based there, and is located within Kittatinny
Valley State Park. The Forest Fire Service is in
the process of relocating its North Jersey Headquarters
to this location. Strawberry Field, in Mays Landing
is presently being developed as the South Jersey aviation
facility.
