The prefectures of Ehime and Yamaguchi have this week signed a Mutual Support Agreement regarding their helicopter operations. Under the agreement, each prefecture will be able to request support from the other for their firefighting and disaster prevention requirements.

Ehime Prefecture operates a Kawasaki built EC145, while Yamaguchi Prefecture has a Leonardo AW169.

Under the agreement, support can be requested when a helicopter is unavailable due to maintenance, or there is an additional requirement which cannot be fulfilled. The option for jointly-run disaster prevention drills has also been set up.

Prior to this, Ehime had signed a mutual support agreement with Hiroshima and the four prefectures of Shikoku region, and this is also the sixth prefecture with which Yamaguchi has a similar contract.

HeliHub.com