HELICOPTER OPERATIONS IN SWIFTWATER RESCUES

摘要

The use of improved helicopter-based swift-water and flood rescue methods can save lives that might otherwise be lost to the effects of flash floods, slow-rise flooding, dam failure, hurricanes and tropical storms, and tsunamis. The methods presented in this article are based on a successful and time-proven helicopter-based swiftwater rescue program developed for the demanding conditions found in Southern California floods. Helicopters are among the most versatile and effective rescue tools ever invented. They provide timely access and transportation options to fire/rescue personnel who might otherwise arrive too late to save victims. Helicopters provide highly mobile, multielevation platforms from which to launch rescue operations under otherwise daunting conditions. They are capable of conducting flood and swiftwater rescue operations at night, in rain, and in wind (within limits). They can perform aerial search operations that include thermal imaging, night vision, and other methods. Helicopters are particularly helpful under conditions that may thwart the efforts of ground-based rescuers, such as wide and fast-moving floodwater, floodwaters choked with "strainers" and other navigation and contact rescue hazards, and rugged terrain that would challenge rescuers even in dry conditions. They allow rescuers to cover more ground and respond to more emergencies in the same time. For these reasons, helicopters have played a significant role in flood and swiftwater rescue operations for decades, saving many lives as a result.