Planned helicopter exercise to take place over Pittsburgh
The Pittsburgh Bureau of Fire announced Monday that approximately four helicopters will fly over the city on Tuesday morning as part of a planned exercise with the Pennsylvania Helicopter Aquatic Rescue Team.
Team members will be picked up by Black Hawk helicopters from the vicinity of the former Veterans Affairs facility near Highland Park in the city’s East End and some will be dropped off at Point State Park in Downtown and others at Brunot Island in the Ohio River, according to a release.
The exercise will last between approximately 8-11 a.m. on Tuesday.
“These tactical training exercises are critical for furthering our existing training and for preparing our teams to conduct safe and efficient rescues in the event of potential future disaster situations,” said Pittsburgh Chief of Fire Darryl Jones.
Fire officials said residents in the area should not be alarmed by the presence of helicopters on Tuesday morning, as all are part of the planned exercise.
Ryan Deto is a TribLive reporter covering politics, Pittsburgh and Allegheny County news. A native of California’s Bay Area, he joined the Trib in 2022 after spending more than six years covering Pittsburgh at the Pittsburgh City Paper, including serving as managing editor. He can be reached at rdeto@triblive.com.
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