It is designed to serve SAR operations in the civil, Coast Guard, and combat arenas. Goodrich Hoist and Winch ( has a 600-lb External Electric Rescue Hoist (Dual/Single Rescue Hoist) that can lift people or cargo. For SAR missions, the system can provide external rescue-litter carriage, and quick access for SAR officers. The system can also be fitted with special "quick-clamp" brackets and pip-pins or overhead anchor points for either fast-rope or rappel operations. These benches are equipped with anchor points for seat belts, and tie-in rings to attach to personnel wearing safety harnesses. The system comes with external benches on each side of the helicopter for transporting and deploying personnel. With the help of the Los Angeles Police Dept.'s Air Support Div., Tyler Technologies ( has created the Tyler Special Operations Platform (TSOP) cargo system to support missions such as emergency evacuation response, dive team transport and rapid SWAT insertion/extraction. Using this data combined with its onboard GPS locational measurements, the buoy can emulate the drift characteristics of either a Person in the Water with survival suit or a four-person life raft with drogue. Data from the buoy is sent via the unit's ARGOS satellite data transmitter that periodically transmits its location when floating in fresh or salt water. SkyHook's Rescue Hook and Capture Ball allows rescuers to secure a victim in moving water to a hook connected to the rescuer.Īimed at improving the success of water-based SAR missions, the Seimac Self-Locating Datum Marker Buoy ( helps measure current direction and speed when deployed in a rescue area. Vendors are offering a variety of advanced moving-map and warning systems for SAR operations. SkyHook Rescue Systems has a number of hoist related products for the search-and-rescue community.ĪCR Electronics' handheld AeroFix GPS 406 Personal ELT is designed to help SAR crews locate downed pilots, by providing a satellite-detectable personal distress signal. Tyler Technologies' special-operations platform is designed to support missions such as emergency evacuation response, dive team transport and SWAT. Here are some of the SAR products that are available today. Mindful of this, SAR equipment manufacturers and vendors are creating innovative products tough enough for the challenging SAR environment. WHETHER FOR CIVIL/FIRST RESPONDER, COMMERCIAL, or military helicopters, search-and-rescue (SAR) equipment has never been more in demand.