CHILLICOTHE, Ohio — A military UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter is scheduled to land behind the Scioto Township building Wednesday morning as local firefighters train alongside its crew, the Scioto Township Fire Department said.
The aircraft is expected to touch down around 9 a.m. and remain in the area until roughly noon while members of Scioto Township and other nearby fire departments work through training evolutions with the helicopter, the department said in a Facebook post. The landing is planned and does not involve an emergency, officials said.
The fire department asked residents to keep their distance from the training area and respect any barricades put up for the exercise. Those who want to see the helicopter are welcome to park nearby and walk over, but the department asked that no one enter the area set aside for training.
Scioto Township, which includes most of the city of Chillicothe and sits at the center of Ross County, is one of several area communities where local crews periodically train alongside Ohio Army National Guard aircraft. The Guard has flown Black Hawk helicopters since the late 1980s as part of a mission that serves both the state and federal government, including disaster response, search and rescue, and medical evacuation — missions that can call on local fire departments to help set up landing zones and move patients to and from the aircraft. Guard helicopter crews conducted similar low-level training last month along the Scioto River in neighboring Pike County, coordinating with county emergency management and the sheriff’s office to notify the public.
The information contained in this story was obtained from the Scioto Township Fire Department.
