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Article: Space-Age Aerial Device Could Change the Way Firefighters Work.
- Article from:
- Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News
- Article date:
- December 1, 2003
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2003 Knight-Ridder/Tribune Business News. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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By Gilbert Chan, The Sacramento Bee, Calif. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News
Dec. 1--ENCINITAS, Calif. -- Only hours after the devastating Cedar wildfire erupted in San Diego County, Philip Riggan boarded a specially equipped twin-engine Piper Navajo airplane and headed toward the inferno.
Some 17,000 feet above the flames, the plane sailed over thick plumes of smoke as Riggan sat behind a flat-screen computer monitor observing infrared images of the white-hot flames racing out of control and threatening people and their homes.
"It was incredible. We went right along the (fire) line. It keep going and going," said Riggan, a fire ...