Firefighting Aircraft

“Poor Controls Over State Firefighting Aircraft Found” (Nov. 24), from Associated Press, requires a response. The first sentence stated, “Firefighting planes and helicopters could be taken away by the U.S. government because of sloppy state management of aircraft parts, the state auditor reported.” As the director of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CDF), I must tell you, this is incredibly misleading and is a disservice to CDF.

The state auditor has indicated to media outlets that contacted his office that this AP story was not an accurate characterization of the report. The authority over the program rests with the federal government. A review by numerous federal agencies of our federal excess-property program resulted in very positive findings last February. In a letter they state, “The review team found your programs well managed and property loaned to you accountable.” As you can see, the state is not in any danger of losing its aircraft.

The state auditor’s report did suggest we should provide a more secure storage area for the 26,000 aircraft parts that we keep at the former Mather Air Force Base. We have increased security there, and are in the process of doing more. The report also recommended that we should conduct a physical inventory of all parts every two years. The federal government review did not indicate the need for such an extensive inventory process to assure accountability. The cost of conducting such an inventory outweighs any potential benefits.

RICHARD A. WILSON

Sacramento