A story involving a Huey helicopter purchased without public disclosure and stashed away in a hangar is unfolding within the Sacramento Metro Fire Department.
The former U.S. Army Bell UH-1H was purchased by the department in 2004 for $28,000. The problem is few people, including the current fire chief, knew anything about the aircraft.
"It's obviously a concern to the fire chief and elected officials. We're hoping it's a clerical issue. We're hoping it gets resolved, but we don't know and that's why it's under investigation," Sacramento Metro Fire spokesman Pat Ellis said.
It is not uncommon for departments to own other aircraft to be used for spare parts. Metro has four such backup grounded aircraft.
The man who bought the helicopter in question was former Chief Rick Martinez, who defends the purchase.
"Every district expenditure went to the board in monthly financial statements," Martinez said.
Martinez also said that is was under his discretion to buy parts for an aircraft and that it would have been negligent not to.
Though that may have been his intent, the contract with Riverside County clearly states that the department was buying a helicopter, and according to the department, the purchase did not show up in the air operations budget or in an audit the department conducted after Martinez's departure.
It's not the first time Martinez has come under fire for allegedly hiding air operations expenses.
"The helicopter is a viable program to firefighters, as well as to the citizens of the community. Every time there seems to be something that comes up, it creates a fracture in the program. We do not need to lose that program," union vice president Pat Monahan said.
A Sacramento Metro Fire Department internal investigation is under way.
Copyright 2006 by KCRA.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
