During the training, UH-60L Black Hawk aircrews used Bambi buckets suspended beneath their helicopters to dip water from Big Sandy Lake before delivering it to simulated fire targets.
The training emphasized precision flying, aircrew coordination, and rapid water delivery key skills required during wildfire response missions.
US. Army Photo by Kendra Pierce, Fort McCoy Multimedia-Visual Information Office.
Story by Scott Sturkol, Fort McCoy
Wisconsin Army National Guard UH-60L Black Hawk aircrews conducted wildfire suppression training at Fort McCoy, honing their ability to respond to real-world fire emergencies using Bambi buckets. April 13, 2026.
UH-60 Black Hawk aircrews with the Madison-based 1st Battalion, 147th Aviation Regiment trained on the installation’s South Post, practicing water pickup and aerial drop techniques critical to combating wildfires.
During the training, UH-60L Black Hawk aircrews used Bambi buckets suspended beneath their helicopters to dip water from Big Sandy Lake before delivering it to simulated fire targets.
The training emphasized precision flying, aircrew coordination, and rapid water delivery—key skills required during wildfire response missions.
US. Army Photo by Kendra Pierce, Fort McCoy Multimedia-Visual Information Office.
Bambi buckets, which can carry hundreds of gallons of water, allow helicopter aircrews to quickly access nearby water sources and deliver targeted drops in areas inaccessible to ground crews.
Fort McCoy has long served as a premier location for this type of training due to its size, infrastructure, and available water sources.
The installation’s controlled training environment allows crews to conduct realistic fire-suppression scenarios without crossing public roadways, enhancing safety and efficiency, Fort McCoy Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security officials said.
This annual training also builds on established partnerships between the Wisconsin National Guard, the Fort McCoy Fire Department, and natural resources personnel in past years. These collaborative efforts often coincide with prescribed burn operations on the installation, giving aircrews the opportunity to train in conditions similar to actual wildfire responses. The Black Hawk aircrews practiced separately in 2026.
Wisconsin National Guard aviation units routinely conduct Bambi bucket training each year to maintain readiness for state and national emergency missions, Wisconsin National Guard officials said. The training prepares aircrews not only for incidents within Wisconsin, but also for deployments to other states through mutual aid agreements, where Black Hawk aircrews have supported wildfire suppression efforts in places such as California.
By completing the April 13 training, Wisconsin National Guard UH-60L Black Hawk aircrews are also likely to reinforce their capability to rapidly deploy and deliver lifesaving aerial firefighting support when called upon — ensuring they remain ready to protect communities and natural resources during wildfire season.
Fort McCoy’s motto beginning in 2026 is “Training the Total Force and Shaping the Future since 1909.”
The installation’s mission: “Fort McCoy strengthens Total Force Readiness by serving as a training center, Mobilization Force Generation Installation, and Strategic Support Area enabling warfighter lethality to deploy, fight, and win our nation’s wars.”
And Fort McCoy’s vision is, “To be the premier training center supporting the most capable, combat-ready, and lethal armed forces.”
Located in the heart of the upper Midwest, Fort McCoy is the only U.S. Army installation in Wisconsin. The installation has provided support and facilities for the field and classroom training of more than 100,000 military personnel from all services nearly every year since 1984.
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