Los Angeles County Sheriff's Air Rescue 5
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The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Air Rescue 5 program of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department provides search and rescue capabilities for Los Angeles County, California, United States.
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[edit] Services
Each helicopter in the Air Rescue 5 program has a flight crew of two deputy sheriff pilots, a sergeant crew chief and two Emergency Service Detail deputy paramedics. The team is deployed on search and rescue and over-water operations, and can rapidly deploy Tactical Response Forces during major incidents. It is not uncommon for the crew to perform a life-saving rescue one moment, and the next moment to transport a Special Weapons Team or injured hostages, officers, or suspects. Whether a technical rescue in the rugged San Gabriel Mountains, a swift water rescue in a raging flood control channel, or medical transport from Santa Catalina Island, the members of Air Rescue 5 proudly stand behind their motto, "Any mission. Anytime. Anywhere."
[edit] Recognition
The Air Rescue 5 crews have received recognition by Sergei Sikorsky, son of Igor Sikorsky. The department was also presented the Higgins-Langley award for Swift Water Rescues by the Professional Helicopter Pilots Association, and the Heroism Award presented by Rotor & Wing Magazine.
[edit] History
The program began in 1955, using Bell 47 helicopters with skid-mounted litters. In 1970, the first Hughes 500 helicopter was put into service, allowing patients to be transported inside the aircraft rather than on the skids. Desiring to expand the mission and capability of the program, three hoist-equipped surplus Sikorsky CH-34 Choctaw helicopters were added in 1972 and the call sign, "Air Rescue 5," was assigned. The Air Rescue 5 program entered the turbine era with two Sikorsky S-58T helicopters in 1983, with a third added later. Seventeen years later, the S-58Ts were replaced with three Sikorsky H-3 Sea Kings, refurbished and outfitted with enhanced Medevac suites and rescue hoists.
Air Rescue 5 has conducted search & rescue missions looking for survivors after Hurricane "Katrina" hits New Orleans, LA in 2005.
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