For many of us, when the days got hot, and we were still sent to school, it meant only one thing; a water fight! Magically, water balloons would be pulled from pockets at lunch time, and mayhem would ensue. Given a hot enough day, the teachers would also wondrously fail to notice the soaking children coming in after lunch was over. Who ever thought that such mad fun could possibly lead to a way to fight fires?
This is exactly the case though, thanks to one William Cleary.
Five years ago, he was so attacked by his son, who dropped a water balloon from three stories. "He was three storeys up and I was walking, and he still managed to hit me square in the head," said Cleary, a Boeing engineer. "I thought, why can't we be this accurate with water on fires?"
Over those five years, Cleary has worked with two companies and several designers and engineers to create what may be a new and effective way to fight forest/bushfires.
The method consists of biodegradable plastic balloons that, though only a meter in diameter, still contain 900 liters of water. Dropped from the back of a plane, flying well above the fires, and contained within cardboard boxes (also biodegradable), the balloons will be freed as the winds tear open the boxes as they fall. The balloons thus burst in midair, providing extra and safe fire fighting from the air.
"This is like calling in the cavalry," Cleary said.
Essential to the plan is a special GPS device, which will help pilots target the most important areas below. But as they won’t be flying at such precarious levels above the raging fires, any pilot is happy for a change. According to the U.S. Forest Service, there were 20 aerial firefighting accidents and 13 fatalities between 1996 and 2006.
Because the government will not let a new firefighting product be used without rigorous testing, a fire on private land will be used (presumably a controlled burn, rather than just random arson attacks) to test the design further.
The Forest Service though are not 100% convinced on the affordability of a new system. Thousands of the balloon and boxes system would have to be purchased, at $300 a pop (sorry). Compared to a few million to install a tank on a plane that will last for 15 years, the new system will have to be very good to succeed.
What’s worse though is the flying debris that, while not necessarily a problem for the environment, may end up hitting unsuspecting humans below.
"There's a lot of boxes, plastic bags and lanyards that are going to land in the forest," said Carl Bambarger, an expert in aerial firefighting with the Forest Service's Technology and Development Center in San Dimas. "The first person who gets hit by a fluttering piece of cardboard and sues the Forest Service - and we've had sillier things happen - the cost savings is gone."
Needless to say, living only a few kilometers from bushfire land here in Australia, I cannot help but applaud any idea that might help fight forest fires here, and everywhere.
Joshua Hill, a Geek’s-Geek from Melbourne, Australia, Josh is an aspiring author with dreams of publishing his epic fantasy, currently in the works, sometime in the next 5 years. A techie, nerd, sci-fi nut and bookworm.
