Drone hits firefighting airplane over LA
Listen to the story (Filipino accent)
A firefighting airplane was damaged when it was hit by a drone near Los Angeles. The plane is a special type called a “Super Scooper”. These planes scoop up water from the ocean to drop on fires.
The collision happened on Thursday when it was helping fight the fires in LA. The plane’s wing was damaged, and it had to land for safety reasons. Fortunately, nobody was hurt. The plane should be fixed and flying again by Monday.
Because of the collision, all firefighting planes had to stop flying for a while.
The police department and fire department are very serious about this. They said that anyone flying a drone near the fires without permission will be in legal trouble. They could be arrested and punished by law.
Officials also said they will use new ways to track drones and find out who is flying them. They want everyone to know that flying a drone near a fire will stop all the firefighting planes from working.
The government is investigating the collision. They want to find out exactly what happened. They said that drones flying near firefighting planes can stop them from working, slow down fighting the fire, and even put people’s lives in danger.
The damaged plane has a hole in its wing. It’s one of two planes sent from Canada every year to help California fight fires. This has been happening for 31 years as part of an agreement between Canada and the United States.
Vocabulary27 words
- Firefighting
- Putting out fires; stopping fires
- Damage
- physical harm that is done to something; destruction; injury;
- Drone
- an aircraft/vehicle that does not have a pilot/driver but is controlled by someone far away/remotely
- Scoop
- To pick up something with a curved tool (like a spoon) or motion; people scoop ice cream
- Collision
- When two things crash into each other
- Fight a fire
- To try to stop a fire; to try to put out a fire
- LA
- Los Angeles (a city in California, USA)
- Wing
- A part of a plane or bird used for flying
- Land
- to come down from the air/sky and touch the ground;
- Safety reasons
- because something is dangerous ; to try to stay safe
- Fortunately
- luckily; thankfully; it’s good luck that
- Police department
- the police force in an area or city; A group of police who work in one city or area
- Fire department
- The group of people who put out fires and help in emergencies.
- Permission
- allowed to do; authorization; approval; it’s OK to do
- Legal
- related to or connected to law; related to the rules/laws of a country
- Legal trouble
- problems with the law;
- Arrest
- If the police arrest you, they take charge of you and take you to a police station; to use the power of the law to take and/or hold someone; detain; apprehend
- Punish
- discipline; penalize; To make someone suffer for doing something wrong by hurting them, forcing them to pay money, or sending them to prison
- Law
- a rule, regulation, or guideline set by the government
- Punish by law
- to give someone a punishment/penalty according to what the law says
- Official
- a person who works for the government or a government company and has power or authority; officer; executive
- Track
- to follow and record; to note or study progress; to follow
- Government
- the group of people who have the authority to make and enforce laws and manage a country or region; the people/group that manage and operate a country
- Investigate
- to research; to study; to find out more
- Even
- also; used to show that something is surprising, unusual, unexpected, or extreme
- Put in danger
- To make someone/something unsafe
- Agreement
- an understanding; a plan or contract made between two or more people/groups
Quiz
Answer key
1. It drops water on fires. 2. Canada 3. False
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
A firefighting _____ was damaged when it was hit by a drone near Los Angeles. The plane _____ a special type called a “Super Scooper”. These planes _____ up water from the ocean to drop on fires.
The _____ happened on Thursday when it was helping fight the fires in LA. _____ plane’s wing was damaged, and it had to land for _____ reasons. Fortunately, nobody was hurt. The plane _____ be fixed and flying again by Monday.
_____ of the collision, all firefighting planes had to stop flying for a _____.
The police department and _____ department are very serious about this. They said that _____ flying a drone near the fires without permission will be in _____ trouble. They could be arrested and punished by _____.
Officials also said _____ will use new ways to track drones and find out _____ is flying them. They want everyone to know that flying a drone _____ a fire will stop all the firefighting planes from working.
The _____ is investigating the collision. They want to find out _____ what happened. They said that drones flying near firefighting _____ can stop them from working, slow down fighting the _____, and even put people’s lives in danger.
The _____ plane has a hole in its wing. It’s one of two planes sent from _____ every year to help California fight fires. This has been happening for _____ years as part of an agreement between Canada and the United _____.
Discussion questions
- Why do you think is it important to have firefighting planes available during fires?
- What are some of the dangers of flying drones near firefighting operations?
- Do you think the punishments for flying drones near fires are fair? Why or why not?
- Why do you think Canada sends planes to help the United States fight fires?
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