Coastal damage in Southwest Florida in the wake of Hurricane Ian. (Photo: FairLifts)


Helicopter rescue following Hurricane Ian was primarily conducted by the National Guard and the Coast Guard. Private groups also were involved.


One private company was FairLifts of Atlanta, Georgia. FairLifts has contract relationships with helicopter operators, pilots, and ground cranes in the region and operates throughout the U.S. and Canada. It contracts all work and uses the following aircraft: EC130, R44, R66, and Bell 206L-3. The company provides various commercial helicopter services including heavy lifts, aerial surveillance, construction lifts, and HVAC placement. It also manages emergency services via helicopter during natural disasters.


“When a storm comes like this, other things are set aside and it becomes a priority,” says Asta John, FairLifts CEO and founder.


John’s company is sometimes tasked when the Coast Guard can’t attend to the rescue, and during Hurricane Ian it was called to help out at Sanibel Island. “There weren’t many resources to help them and roads were out,” John relates. FairLifts conducted multiple flights to rescue people and pets while also making survey flights. The Sanibel Causeway that connects to Sanibel Island was destroyed, cutting off access to mainland Florida for 6,400 island residents.


60 Nov/Dec 2022


“We were receiving Coast Guard reports at that time,” John says. He heard that an older couple was stranded on the island and the hurricane had obliterated their property. FairLifts deployed a helicopter to their property and they were still there. “We were able to get them,” John says. John estimates they rescued about 10 islanders in all.


FairLifts also was on hand during 2019’s Hurricane Dorian, an even more destructive Cat 5 storm. “Hurricane Ian, as devastating as it was, paled in comparison to the destruction brought by Hurricane Dorian,” John recalls. “Our rescue efforts for people in the Bahamas were substantially greater because of the scope of damage and resulting conditions.”


Bahamians were so desperate to escape Hurricane Dorian that they were trying to board helicopters and exceed weight capacities, leading to the need for armed security on flights. “We flew only those that had arranged with us to fly, but many others (especially at airports) were keen to commandeer spots on the aircraft we utilized. Combined with the fact that aircraft arrival is apparent to all those in the vicinity, I’m glad that Hurricane Ian’s severity didn’t compare to Hurricane Dorian,” John shares.


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