November 1, 2006
County Adds High Tech Helicopter To Its Inventory of Emergency & Public Safety Equipment
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The County has taken delivery of a new Bell 407 helicopter at the Westchester County Airport. The state of the art, high tech aircraft will address a variety of law enforcement and emergency management needs. It will assist local police depts in their crime fighting efforts---its invisible infrared beam technology will |
| enable police to spot movement on the ground at night without using searchlights, providing law enforcement with a tactical advantage. |
The helicopter's increased size and added capabilities will dramatically enhance the county's ability to conduct large scale search and rescue operations and improve its preparedness for a regional emergency. The new aircraft will contribute significantly to the security of county residents by introducing a more sophisticated way to patrol the county's critical infrastructure. The helicopter can also be used to fight fires and assist in managing the airlifting of medical emergencies to Westchester Medical Center. The $2.5 million helicopter supplements, rather than replaces, the county’s aging Hughes OH6 helicopter, a second-hand craft, shot down twice in Vietnam, that the county had purchased from the military. Its primary use has been, and will continue to be, to assist in medical evacuations. Photos from demonstration of aircraft at Westchester County Airport on October 30. |
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| County Board Chair Bill Ryan, chair of the Public Safety Committee from 1998 through 2003, details the crime fighting capabilities of the high tech helicopter to local police chiefs. | Legislators Judy Myers and Suzanne Swanson prepare for tour of the Kensico Dam area. |
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| From left, County Legislators Vito Pinto, Bill Ryan, County Executive Andy Spano, County Legislators Judy Myers and Suzanne Swanson |
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