Lake County uses helicopter to fight large brush fire
LAKE COUNTY, Ind. (WISH) — The Lake County Sheriff’s Department fought a large brush fire Wednesday afternoon using a helicopter with a Bambi bucket filled with water to stop the flames.
Around 1 p.m. Wednesday, Gary first responders requested help from the Lake County Sheriff’s Department Aviation Unit in attacking a large brush fire that spread across an area just off US 12 between Gary/Chicago International Airport and Buffington Harbor, according to a Facebook post.
The large fire became dangerously close to the Praxair natural gas facility before Lake County pilots were able to put it to a stop just before 5 p.m.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Department released a video of the helicopter putting out the blaze on their Facebook page.
“I am extremely proud of the professionalism and spirit of cooperation shown by our officers helping to extinguish this fire. It’s just another example of the critical role our resources and equipment play not only during law enforcement emergencies, but also during potentially dangerous incidents handled by fire departments and other first responders. We will continue our commitment to acquiring the best cutting-edge tools and information available to keep the citizens of Lake County safe.
Lake County Sheriff Oscar Martinez Jr.