ARPT PROB -- THIS IS A COMPLAINT ABOUT UNSATISFACTORY OPS AT AN ARPT DURING A STATE DEPT OF FORESTRY FIREFIGHTING EFFORT.

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I WAS RECENTLY PERFORMING MY JOB AS A HELI MECH FOR A FIRE FIGHTING HELI AT THE ARPT IN BANNING; CA. WHILE ON STANDBY I OBSERVED THE FOLLOWING SITS OCCUR AT THE ARPT; WHICH HAD BEEN DESIGNATED BY CALIFORNIA DEPT OF FORESTRY AS A MAJOR HELIBASE: A CESSNA 414 APCHED AND LANDED; STRAIGHT IN; DOWNWIND AND DOWNHILL AGAINST THE ESTABLISHED TFC PATTERN. A SIKORSKY S-64 HAD TO ABORT A LNDG DUE TO MISCOM REGARDING HIS LNDG SPOT. SEVERAL PEDESTRIANS AND VEHICLES CROSSED THE RWY IN A FASHION THAT; IN MY OPINION; TOOK LITTLE CARE TO INSURE A SAFE XING. SOME VEHICLES (EVEN HVY FUEL TRUCKS) USED THE ACTIVE RWY LIKE A ROAD; WHEN TXWYS WERE AVAILABLE. A CDF HELI MADE AN APCH TO THE RAMP OVER A FIXED-WING ACFT THAT WAS TAXIING ON THE RWY. THE HELI APPEARED TO PASS WITHIN 20-30 FT OF THE AIRPLANE. NUMEROUS EQUIP ITEMS WERE LEFT ON THE RAMP NEAR THE FUELING POINT. THIS EQUIP INCLUDED WATER BUCKETS; A CARGO HOOK AND CABLE; SHOVELS; AXES; AND PERSONAL EQUIP. 14 HELIS WERE USING THIS ARPT. I MENTIONED THESE CONCERNS TO THE CDF MGR IN CHARGE. THE MGR SEEMED TO TAKE THESE CONCERNS SERIOUSLY; BUT I OBSERVED THEM OCCURRING FOR SEVERAL HRS BEFORE ANY ACTION WAS TAKEN. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR SAID THAT PART OF THE PROB WAS THAT THE FIREFIGHTING OP GOT SO BIG SO SWIFTLY DURING THIS FIRE THAT THE ARPT SIT GOT A BIT MESSY. THE RPTR SAID THAT WHEN HE SPOKE TO THE FORESTRY OPS PERSONNEL THEY WERE NOT TOO RECEPTIVE BECAUSE OF THEIR FOCUS ON FIREFIGHTING. THE MGR IN CHARGE DID LISTEN; HOWEVER AND HE DID MAKE SOME CHANGES. THE RPTR IS NOT SURE IF THE OPERATIONAL CHANGES ARE LASTING.