BOISE, Idaho — A Boise Bureau of Land Management helicopter crew has been nationally recognized for their innovation and leadership in battling last year's wildfires.
The BLM's Boise helitack crew has been named one of the 2018 winners of the Paul Gleason "Lead by Example" award.
During the 2017-2018 fire season, the helitack crew used a Sikorsky UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter to transport and deploy fire crews into remote and inaccessible areas so they could quickly assess the fire and begin suppressing it.
According to the BLM, it was the first time any wildland fire agency used this type of aircraft for this purpose.
The "Lead by Example" award is named for Paul Gleason, a longtime fireline supervisor and fire manager who developed a foundational philosophy of fireline safety.
