Civilian SAR companies

[Flying Pig]

To offer some information I posted regarding SAR flying in this thread, http://captalk.net/index.php?topic=17014.msg306750#new  I thought I would add some other items for those interested.  Many people here have an interest in SAR.... if not everyone here.  Often the idea is that in order to do SAR, a person needs to be in LE, Fire, EMS or in the military.   There are actually a few civilian opportunities to work in SAR.   Im my post in the thread I attached above, I wrote that there are no civilian companies who do SAR.  However....I forgot about the companies that work in the gulf oil industry.

Era SAR, is a program Era Helicopters offers its customers in the Gulf and also the oil industry in AK.  This would be a long term career goal for someone.  Dont think you are going to get your commercial and get a job there.  All of the back seat crews, Rescue Swimmers, medics, Crew Chiefs, are all recommended via referrals through Priority 1 Air Rescue.  You probably wont see Priority 1 Air Rescue recruiting for these positions.  However, the pilots and aircraft belong to Era.  For those of you who were following the cruise ship debacle in the gulf, you may have seen the Era AW139 hoisting items on to the ship.

So for you young aspiring SAR pilots out there thinking about your career paths, maybe something to look at as a long range goal.

http://www.erahelicopters.com/content/e1288/e1289/e1365/index_eng.html

I am being told PHI Helicopters is in the planning stages for offering the same services to their gulf customers as well.

http://www.phihelico.com/

[Flying Pig]

Wow.. I actually thought this would generate at least some sort of discussion.....  Oh well..... Back to the uniform threads.