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hours, they are also called to rescue stranded hikers and bikers, provide
animal rescue assistance with the Equine Center, and assist with ocean,
lake, and snow rescues.
Such missions can be done both day and night, because the Air
Ops Section is staffed with military-trained pilots certified in Night Vision
(NVG). The combination of FF Paramedics with NVG Certified Pilots is
what makes Air Ops unique and one of a few such operations nationally.
Much of this equipment is purchased and supplied by the all-volunteer
non-profit Santa Barbara County Firefighters Alliance.
SBC FD Air Ops Section and Fire Station 32’s Operations, Training
and Continuing Educational Structure has been such a glowing success
that it is being used as a model for other such units in the U.S.
So, take that walk in Montecito’s wild back country; ride that
horse (or bike) through the chaparral, and realize that if trouble
occurs, either a Montecito Fire Department paramedic will climb up to
save you, or a firefighter from Santa Ynez Air Ops will fall out of the
sky to do the same.
Mechanic Jason Scarborough sits in the cockpit of Air Ops helicopter 309 performing
routine checks in between water rescue training missions at Lake Cachuma. One
can observe the Fire Fighter team briefing for the training on the ground through the
helicopter’s left window
Formal Portrait of the Santa Ynez Air Ops crew (from left, front row): Captain John Trejo, Captain Al
Queoff, Captain/Crew Chief Gordon O’Neill, FF Paramedic Garrett Huff, Captain/Crew Chief Guy Smith,
FF Paramedic Tim Gailey, Engineer Terry Brown, Captain Tom Himmelrich. In the helicopter are pilots
Chris Spangenberg and Mike Sagely. On the skid are mechanics Jason Scarborough and Dan Noore