A spotter makes final checks and steadies the rope, before a veteran wildland firefighter rappeller pushes away from Heligroup Fire's Bell 205A-1 helicopter hovering over a rappeller landing zone in the Perreau Creek area at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) U.S. Forest Service (USFS) National Helicopter Rappel Program’s Rappel Academy at Salmon Air Base in Salmon, ID on Wednesday, May 14, 2014.
From May 12, 2014, 72 veteran rappellers from all over the nation, 30 support staff, and three helicopters with flight crews attend the training at Salmon Air Base. Participants will rappel into the Perreau Creek area. The annual training is delivered in accordance with the National Rappel Operations Guide; strengthen leadership, teamwork, and communications within the rappel community, and produces quality aerial delivered firefighters for use in fire and aviation operations. The USDA Forest Service National Helicopter Rappel Program’s primary mission is initial attack. Rappel crews may be utilized for large fire support, all hazard incident operations, and resource management objectives. USDA Photo by Lance Cheung. Original public domain image from Flickr