Helicopters to the Rescue
FairLifts’ Asta John points out the helicopter’s versatility. “There are many ways a helicopter can help those suffering from hurricanes or other severe weather. A helicopter can perform a vital search and rescue mission, survey an area to analyze the extent of damage that occurred, provide emergency lift services, transport people to where they need to go, and take aerial photography or videography.” Helicopter search and rescue is one of the most effective ways to find and transport people to safety. Helicopters also transport supplies for stranded people or transport infrastructure like large generators to restore power after a disaster.
John elaborates on the different types of helicopters to use for each kind of hurricane or natural disaster. “It depends heavily on the task at hand, specific certifications, location (factoring in mobilization costs), capabilities (maximum flight range, maximum external load, etc.), and availability. With Hurricane Dorian, the ability to fly over water and flight range were crucial. Many available helicopters weren’t equipped to complete the relatively long flight to the Bahamas. For Hurricane Ian rescue flights, availability was the prominent issue. If passenger capacity is too limited, multiple trips can overcome the limitation. However, we are approached with projects that require us to filter our available aircraft heavily. We were approached for a communications tower and truck lift on Sanibel Island, which limited our options to those that can lift 8,000 pounds or more. In that case, we would likely use the following aircraft: S-61, UH-60, Super Puma, CH-47, Vertol 107, and CH-234.”
For medical transport via helicopter following a hurricane, many hospitals have helipads where a helicopter can land. In Florida alone, 203 out of 349 hospitals have helipads. As of mid-October several weeks after Hurricane Ian struck, many hospitals in the region still had damage, especially in Fort Myers.
National Public Radio (NPR) interviewed Mary Mayhew, CEO of the Florida Hospital System. Mayhew said thousands of beds were made available statewide to accept evacuated patients. “Air transport and ambulances have been deployed from hospitals around the state to support this effort,” Mayhew said. “The destruction in southwest Florida, specifically in the Fort Myers area, is unimaginable. Thankfully, hospitals have been hardening their facilities for years to withstand hurricanes. There is not considerable damage to our hospitals.”
Oct. 4, 2022: A member of Miami-Dade Fire Rescue - Florida Task Force 1 comforts their dog while aboard a CH-47 Chinook helicopter assigned to Company B, 1st Battalion, 111th Aviation Regiment, Mississippi Army National Guard, above Fort Myers, Florida. The 111th was deployed to South Florida to respond to the devastation of Hurricane Ian. (Photo: Sgt. Jovi Prevot, Army National Guard)
64 Nov/Dec 2022
Sept. 28, 2022: Coast Guard Aviation Training Center-Mobile pilots walk out to an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter to conduct training evolutions in preparation for storm response operations in Mobile, Alabama. Coast Guard assets were staged outside of the predicted path of Hurricane Ian at the Aviation Training Center. (Photo: Petty Officer 3rd Class Riley Perkofski, USCG)
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