Press Release

Issued by Rural Fire Service (HeliFire).

June 17, 2016

Rural Fire Service of New Zealand is proud to announce that it has appointed Australian Heliponents Pty Ltd of Queensland, Australia, as its exclusive Australian distributor of the full range of collapsible HeliFire monsoon buckets and HeliFoam class-A foam direct injection systems.

“At Rural Fire Service we design and manufacture a range of reliable low weight, compact and easy to maintain collapsible HeliFire monsoon buckets”, says Captain Simon Osborne.

"Our products are known for their strength and freestanding ability. Although there are a number of other suppliers of helicopter buckets around the world, they cannot be filled and left freestanding on the ground, and this sets us apart from suppliers of other variants of helicopter water buckets."

Rural Fire Service's range of low-weight freestanding HeliFire monsoon buckets are manufactured from stainless steel and yellow urethane reinforced liners to produce a durable and effective aerial firefighting system for helicopter pilots and wildfire managers.

Captain Osborne said “HeliFire monsoon buckets are hover fill capable from both stationary and moving water sources, and can be used to dispense water and fire suppressants or retardants through fire passes and stationary drops to support firefighting operations. Other features include rapid installation/removal, multiple drop capability, internal foam injection system, and they can be landed and used as a source of water to support firefighters or as a simple to use rescue device to extract people in danger”.

HeliFire monsoon buckets are used by operators around the world including New Zealand, Tasmania, Queensland, New South Wales, South Africa, Europe and China.

Captain Osborne, added “Rural Fire Service of New Zealand has never previously been represented in Australia and are looking forward to promoting our HeliFire monsoon bucket and its unique capabilities in the region, and believe that the partnership allows the Rural Fire Service to expand and consolidate its presence on the Australian market. In addition, Australian Heliponents also adds value with their professional aviation maintenance and engineering services”.