On July 23, 2022, as part of the program to inform the population, Yu.A. Kashcheev, a paratrooper-firefighter of the Zhambyl aviation department, held a preventive lecture on the topic "Protect the forest from fires" among the employees of the IP "Rysymbetov P.R.". The lecture participants were familiarized with precautions when handling fire in the forest, actions when detecting a forest fire, actions of a lost person in the forest, compliance with sanitary standards when visiting woodlands.

On July 22, 2022, during an aviation patrol, employees of the Almaty aviation department discovered a fire on the territory of the Besagash rural district. Information about the fire was transmitted to ground services to extinguish the fire and prevent its further spread. Thanks to the coordinated actions of all services, the fire was localized and eliminated.

At the first stage of training, the personnel underwent ground training on the basis of a special training tower, with the aim of thorough and comprehensive training on the ground, working out all the elements of descent, studying various techniques and training on their implementation.

At the second stage of training, paratroopers-firefighters carried out descents from the MI-171 helicopter to the ground with the help of a special trigger device (SUR). Descents were carried out from a height of 10, 20, 30 and 40 meters. From such a height, paratroopers-firefighters have to work directly when extinguishing forest fires.

The helicopter can get as close to the ground as the tree crowns allow. Some paratroopers-firefighters have more than 70 helicopter descents behind them. The practical skills of the "forest special forces" were tested by the head of the APS, S.M. Polyakov.

A DESCENT DEVICE is a device that allows people and cargo to be lowered to work sites from a helicopter hovering over a forest canopy or other natural object where helicopter landing is impossible.

The first drum-type forest fire trigger device (SUB) for the delivery of people and fire-fighting cargo to forest fires in order to extinguish them was developed by the production and technical laboratory of the Central Aviation Forest Protection Base. The first descents from the Mi-4 helicopter were carried out in 1956.

Later, in connection with the use of Mi-8 helicopters by air security, a roller-type trigger device (SUR) was developed and introduced in 1979. It allows for autonomous descent from a helicopter of a paratrooper-firefighter or cargo weighing up to 100 kg at a speed of up to 3 m/s.

It should be noted that it is not always possible to get to the area of an active forest fire by land transport, and when delivering forces and means by aviation, it is necessary to pick up a platform for a safe landing. In such cases, it is decided to land troops in the area of the fire with the help of a helicopter. The pilot-observer from the air selects a platform suitable for the descent of paratroopers-firefighters, measuring at least 5x5 meters between the crowns of trees.

When making a decision to perform descents and choosing a place for descent, the issuing officer asks the helicopter commander "Allow me to prepare for descent." Having received the answer "I allow", he gives the command to the paratroopers-firefighters to "Get ready for descents" and puts on a safety belt or a safety suspension system. The carabiner of the safety halyard or cable is attached to the power unit in the helicopter. The helicopter hovers over this "well" at a height of at least 10 meters above the treetops (while the height to the ground should not exceed 45 meters).

The observer pilot opens the door and drops a particularly strong (900 kg at break) 50-meter cord, along which, with the help of a roller trigger device, paratroopers-firefighters descend directly from the helicopter to the ground.

If the bay of the cord has dissolved and reached the ground, the person releasing the SPU reports to the helicopter commander: "the bay has been dropped, dissolved to the ground, allow the descent of the first" and, having received the answer: "I allow", gives the command to the first:"on the descent."

The senior of the group should be the first to descend, who, having descended, is obliged to insure the next descending paratroopers.

After the descent of the first paratrooper-firefighter, he reports to the helicopter commander on the SPU: "The first landed, allow the descent of the second." Having received permission, the second paratrooper-firefighter descends, the descent is performed similarly to the first.

After the end of the descent of the paratroopers-firefighters, the person releasing unhooks the cord carabiner from the earring and drops the cord down. The producer reports to the helicopter commander on the SPU: "The descents are finished, the cord is dropped, the door is closed."

During the training, the interaction of the helicopter commander, the observer pilot and the paratroopers-firefighters, the descent speed (average - three meters per second), the correct landing and much more are monitored.

On July 21, 2022, a fire was discovered in the territory of 51 quarters of the Bayanaul forestry of the Bayanaul State Forest Enterprise. Employees of the ground forest guard and paratroopers-firefighters of the Barnaul aviation department were sent to the place of the fire to extinguish the fire and prevent its further spread. Thanks to the coordinated actions of all services, the fire was localized and eliminated.

On July 20, 2022, during an aviation patrol, employees of the Almaty aviation department discovered a fire on the territory of the 8th quarter of the Ile-Balkhash State Natural Reserve. Information about the fire was transmitted to ground services to extinguish the fire and prevent its further spread. Thanks to the coordinated actions of all services, the fire was localized and eliminated.

It is difficult to overestimate all the benefits of the forest for people's lives. Truly, this is a storeroom from which almost all sectors of the country's economy draw raw materials. It is a collector and keeper of moisture, a good regulator of surface water runoff, thanks to which the soil moisture reserve is replenished and rivers and fields are protected from shallowing from drought. The forest plays a huge role in the fight against soil erosion, dry winds and black storms.
These are the lungs of the earth, clean beneficial air – the forge of health, the basis of the green cover of the earth, the life-giving source for all living things. There is also coolness on hot days, silence for rest and protection from cold and blizzards in winter. Birds and animals live in the forest, mushrooms, berries, nuts, medicinal plants and many other useful things grow. But the forest has its worst enemy – fire. Due to natural conditions, fallen needles, cones, leaves, branches and dried grass accumulate in the forest for years, which in dry weather from early spring to late autumn can ignite from the slightest spark. For this reason, a campfire left by careless tourists, fishermen, berry pickers, mushrooms, or an abandoned unopened cigarette butt and a match, hunting wads of smoldering materials, burning of dry grass and stubble are the main causes of forest fires.
Windy weather increases the fire danger many times, contributing to the rapid spread of fire. Forest fires damage, and often completely destroy stands and all living things, thereby causing enormous damage to the economy and ecology. Fires disrupt the water regime in rivers and the climate, leaving behind burning and dead spaces for many years. That is why, being in the forest, we must not forget that careless handling of fire can lead to irreparable consequences – a natural disaster. Extinguishing forest fires is associated with large expenditures of public funds, interruptions from the work of people and mechanisms, often with a risk to life.
During the fire season, i.e. from the moment of snow cover in spring and until the onset of stable rainy weather in autumn, it is prohibited:
1. To make bonfires in coniferous young trees, old gorelnik, in cluttered areas of the forest, peat bogs, in cutting areas with left felling residues and harvested wood;

2. In suburban forests of the green zone and in forests that are places of mass recreation, it is strictly prohibited;
3. Make bonfires, throw burning matches, cigarette butts and shake burning ashes out of smoking pipes, use wads of smoldering materials (sticks, cotton wool, paper, etc.), burning dry grass in the forest in clearings, meadows and swamps;
4. Leave the cleaning material oiled or soaked in gasoline, kerosene or other combustible substances;
5. Refuel the tanks of internal combustion engines with fuel when the engine is running, use cars with a faulty power supply system, as well as smoke or use an open fire near cars filled with fuel.

But whatever the reason for a forest fire, it is the duty of every citizen who notices it to take immediate measures to extinguish the fire, and if it is impossible to extinguish the fire on their own, inform the nearest forestry, rural akimat, law enforcement agencies.
You should always remember: "One tree can make a million matches, and one match can burn a million trees!"
Your active participation in the prevention of forest fires will help preserve the forest wealth of our country, which is a national treasure.

Kazavialesoohrana
Akmola aviation department
The instructor of the APK Kondratiev A.V.

Newspaper Life of Accol

On July 20, 2022, within the framework of the public awareness program, the paratroopers-firefighters of the Borodulikhinsky aviation department, E.V. Pirikh and E.G. Borkov, held preventive lectures on fire-fighting topics among customers and employees of the Canada store. The listeners were familiarized with precautions when handling fire in the forest, actions when detecting a forest fire, actions of a lost person in the forest, compliance with sanitary standards when visiting woodlands. Leaflets on fire prevention propaganda were also distributed.