The Aviation Section is comprised of four Air Rescue helicopter units, a fixed-wing Air Support unit, an Aircraft Maintenance unit, and administrative staff.

The Air Rescue units are strategically based around the state to provide the most efficient and effective service. The Air Support and Aircraft Maintenance units are based at the Aviation Section Headquarters facility at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport.

Services provided by the Section include; first responder emergency medical services, technical rescue operations, medical and disaster evacuation, search operations, aerial and logistical support for law enforcement, highway safety and traffic enforcement operations, and transport services in support of governmental operations and critical administrative functions. To accomplish its mission, the Aviation Section operates and maintains a fleet of five rotary-wing and four fixed-wing aircraft.

Mission

To provide an immediate, 24-hour per day, statewide air support response capability for critical occurrences and emergency situations, to provide aerial and logistical support for law enforcement, highway safety and traffic enforcement operations, and to provide transport services in support of governmental operations and critical administrative functions.

Goal Summary

To protect the public by ensuring the continuous availability of appropriate aircraft and thoroughly trained personnel necessary to provide immediate statewide air support response capability for critical occurrences and emergency situations, and to maximize the utilization of aviation resources in support of highway safety and traffic enforcement throughout the state.

Air Rescue

Rappel/Short-Haul Program:

The Arizona Department of Public Safety's Air Rescue units have been pioneers in the development of helicopter rescue techniques, in the State, since their inception in 1972. Heli-rescue techniques such as rappel and short-haul have been utilized by DPS Air Rescue crews to assist county sheriff's personnel and local technical rescue teams in the successful rescues of literally hundreds of people over the years. These techniques have allowed people in life threatening situations to be extricated from mountainside cliffs, deep canyons and other locations not immediately accessible by ground and where helicopter landing areas were not available.

There has been an increasing demand in recent years from county search and rescue coordinators for the heli-rescue support services provided by Department aircraft. This can most likely be attributed to the general acceptance of heli-rescue techniques as a relatively safe and very efficient method of conducting otherwise difficult rescue operations in remote areas. Equipment designed specifically for heli-rescue has also been readily available.

DPS Aviation Section personnel have developed and implemented a rappel/short-haul manual and standard operating procedure. The completed documents are utilized as a standard by all Department Air Rescue crews in providing heli-rescue support services, thereby minimizing the risks involved.

Emergency Fire Suppression Program:

In 1994, the Ponderosa Fire Advisory Council, comprised of northern Arizona fire agencies, requested that the Department of Public Safety Aviation Section consider utilizing its Air Rescue helicopters to provide immediate response, as an emergency fire suppression resource, to brush and forest fires which posed an imminent threat to life or personal property. In response to the Council's request, the Northern Air Rescue unit conducted a successful test of the emergency fire suppression concept during the 1994 fire season.

The Emergency Fire Suppression Program was officially implemented, beginning with the Northern Air Rescue unit, during the 1996 fire season. In response to demands for service from other fire councils and fire districts around the state, all four Air Rescue units have now been trained and equipped to provide emergency fire suppression services. This program has provided Arizona communities with an immediate forest and brush fire suppression capability where dedicated fire fighting resources may not be immediately available.

Emergency fire suppression responses are limited, based on aircraft availability, and are provided only until dedicated fire fighting resources are available. In the absence of life threatening situations, priority for emergency fire suppression missions is subordinate to traditional, legislatively mandated, Air Rescue missions, such as emergency medical and emergency law enforcement.

Aerial fire fighting equipment, such as a Bambi Bucket water dispersal devices, are provided by regional fire agency councils and/or the Arizona State Land Department, Fire Management Division. The State Land Department also provides and coordinates aerial fire suppression training for air crews and user fire agencies.