Jack — Thanks to Republican leadership, San Diego County is prepared for future wildfires. This week, County Supervisor Jim Desmond — your endorsed Republican candidate for California’s 49th Congressional District — secured a new Sikorsky S-70 Firehawk helicopter to strengthen San Diego County’s wildfire response (Read Supervisor Desmond's Full Press Release Below).

👉 CONTRIBUTE: Elect More Common-Sense Conservative Leaders

This new helicopter will help firefighters attack wildfires faster and stronger — with greater water capacity, longer flight times, and even nighttime operation capability. It’s a major win for safety, security, and taxpayer accountability.

That’s what common-sense conservative leadership looks like.

Jim Desmond’s leadership shows what happens when we focus on the issues that matter — keeping our neighborhoods safe, protecting our homes from wildfires, and making sure taxpayer dollars are used wisely.

Over the past six years, Jim has helped:

• Add twin-engine helicopters to our aerial firefighting fleet
• Commit $3 million annually to hire more firefighters
• Install helihydrants and expand brush management
• Build strong partnerships with CAL FIRE and SDG&E to reduce costs to taxpayers

And it’s working — San Diego County hasn’t seen a major wildfire in years. That’s not luck. That’s leadership.

But here’s the truth: to keep delivering results like this, we need to elect more common-sense conservatives at every level of government — leaders like Jim Desmond who take action instead of making excuses.

That’s why the Republican Party of San Diego County is working around the clock to support Jim and other strong Republican candidates who will keep San Diego safe, affordable, and free.

👉 CHIP IN TODAY: Help Elect Leaders Who Put Safety First

When conservatives lead, we get results. When Democrats lead, we get chaos, higher taxes, and misplaced priorities.

Let’s stand with Jim Desmond and build a stronger San Diego County — one that protects lives, homes, and our future.

Thank you for your support,

Paula Whitsell
Chairwoman, Republican Party of San Diego County

Jim Desmond
Supervisor – Fifth District
San Diego County Board of Supervisors
1600 Pacific Highway, San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 531-5555

Statement For Media Release: October 21, 2025

Desmond Secures New Helicopter to Strengthen San Diego County’s Wildfire Response

SAN DIEGO, CA — Today, we took another major step forward in protecting our region from wildfires by approving the purchase and outfitting of a new Sikorsky S-70 Firehawk helicopter.

Back in January, after three fires in North County and the devastating fires in Los Angeles, I called for a comprehensive review of our wildfire preparedness and what more we could do to protect our communities. This new helicopter is the direct result of that work — and it will make a difference.

The Firehawk has greater water capacity, longer flight time, and can fly at night — giving our firefighters the ability to attack fires faster and stronger. Thanks to our partnership with San Diego Gas & Electric and California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), the County is securing this critical asset while minimizing long-term costs to taxpayers.

Over the past six years, we’ve made significant investments to strengthen wildfire prevention and response:

• Added two twin-engine helicopters to our aerial fleet.
• Committed $3 million annually to add firefighters across the region.
• Installed helihydrants and expanded brush management to protect neighborhoods.

I don’t want to jinx it, but I truly believe these investments have made a difference. We haven’t seen a major wildfire in our region in recent years, and that’s not by luck — it’s because we’ve taken fire safety seriously and acted decisively.

This new helicopter builds on that commitment. When the next fire sparks, we’ll have more resources in the air to protect lives, homes, and communities across San Diego County.

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