Page 11 - 2017-Issue4
P. 11
HELICOPTERS TO THE RESCUE 11
n every natural disaster one of the first resources to appear on the
Iscene is a helicopter.
For those trapped by flood, crumpled roads or even fire, imagine the
Helicopters emotion felt by those hearing the distinctive sound of a helicopter
approaching. Even before it can be seen, all eyes are trained on the sky
searching for the first glimpse of that familiar sight and the sure
knowledge that rescue is at hand.
to the regardless the location, the weather, or severity of the destruction,
In a year marked by severe storms, it has come to be expected that
helicopters will be there even before some venture out of hiding.
Plucking people from rooftops, delivering food and supplies to
Rescue inaccessible locations and providing medical support are only some of
the most widely recognized activities attributable to these unique
machines and the people who fly them. Helicopters are usually the first
aviation assets in the air following any disaster allowing officials to survey
Captain Jeff Smith, IFALPA Helicopter the damage, assisting in news coverage, and searching for those in need.
Committee Vice-Chairman, began In the aftermath of Katrina, a virtual air force of commercial
volunteering with the Federation in helicopters descended upon New Orleans to pluck thousands from the
flood waters. This spontaneous act has become a ritual at more recent
2009. He has flown helicopters for 47 disasters as operators send their equipment and crews with the sole intent
years and currently flies Airbus 145s of providing support where it is needed. No one seems to worry about
for AECOM under contract to the remuneration or lost revenue due to missed contracts. When they are
United States Army. needed, the crews and their machines are in the air even before the sky
has cleared.
They may not enjoy the mystique of a jet, and their crews don’t
command the salary of some with comparable experience but if you’re in
a tight spot, what flying machine do you want to see overhead?
Thought so.
InterPilot | The Safety and Technical Journal of IFALPA ISSUE 4 | 2017
