Fawning over a new bucket

The newest firefighting tool for Newport-Mesa fire departments is called the Bambi Bucket ? and it has nothing to do with transporting cute baby deer.

The Bambi Bucket is a 110-gallon water container that attaches to the bottom of the cities’ shared helicopter, Eagle 1, and is used to put out wildfires.

The helicopter was already equipped with one new Bambi Bucket, but recent donations from State Farm Insurance and the Costa Mesa Community Assn. allowed the purchase of a second.

The helicopter’s old buckets had been used for more than 12 years and were in need of repair, said Lt. Bob Oakley, bureau commander of helicopter services.

“It was really time to replace them,” Oakley said.

Firefighting agencies in more than 100 countries use Bambi Buckets, said Jens Sigvardt, divisional manager of manufacturer SEI Industries, a Canadian company that pioneered the concept 25 years ago.

Sigvardt said the product’s name has nothing to do with the beloved Disney character. The owner of the company just likes quirky names for its products, he explained.

“From a marketing perspective, we do it ? because people remember it,” Sigvardt said.

Eagle 1 is primarily used for law enforcement, but it has been working with local fire departments for more than 10 years.

“It’s a police helicopter, but it’s really a city resource,” Oakley said.

Eagle 1 is equipped with a Bambi Bucket at all times during the fire season, Newport Fire Battalion Chief Paul Matheis said.

Costa Mesa and Newport Beach fire officials train frequently with the helicopter pilots to get experience using the helicopter’s firefighting tools.

The Bambi Bucket hooks up to the bottom on the helicopter and hangs 15 feet below, Oakley said. When a wildfire is reported, the helicopter can lower the bucket and pick up water from nearly any water source, including golf course water hazards, Matheis said.

The Bambi Bucket is particularly effective in putting out local vegetation fires. Local fire departments have used them at least three times in the last few years, Oakley said.

“If we can get on it early and start putting water on it, in many cases we can put it out before it gets going,” Oakley said.