LA Sheriff Helo Med evac?

I just noticed at ADS-B Exchange a LA Sheriff Helo that looked like a Med evac type land on the freeway. I guess LA Sheriff does Med evac? I guess I should have made a note of the serial number of the AC. I know it was a Eurocopter and was quite large.

Yes LASD has been tasked with land and sea rescue missions for decades.

Currently 3 Eurocopter Super Pumas serve such purpose having replaced 3 Sikorsky Sea Kings in 2012 crewed by 2 pilots and 3 onboard medics.

They can normally be heard and dispatched as "Air-5"

Air 5 usually is the responder to incidents in the Angeles Forest and Catalina that often require a rescue operation with specially trained personnel from SEB that are best equipped to handle that.

I would be surprised to see them just responding to a freeway TC or such as it is County Fire copters that are funded for those transports. But in the event of none being available typical SOP does not apply.

The goal is to get a trauma patient to a surgeon in 60 minutes.

Thanks for the Info! It's one big helicopter, that's for sure. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTn0UZkApmY There are bigger Helos, but this one is big non the less.

I see a lot of Eurocopters around. Airbus sure has that market.

poltergeisty said:

Thanks for the Info! It's one big helicopter, that's for sure. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTn0UZkApmY There are bigger Helos, but this one is big non the less.

I see a lot of Eurocopters around. Airbus sure has that market.

Click to expand...

LAPD, LASD,RSO and most small dept use the eurocopter... Pasadena and El Monte (F.A.S.T.),lifeflight use others. The copters I see up on flight aware mostly are Ontario, Anaheim, Pasadena, LASO,LAPD,RSO.

At the time they went into service, they were the only 3 Super Pumas operating in the United States. That may have changed, but they were the only ones back then.

Interesting.

LA Co Medical Helicopters

The last information I had was that LACOSO primary Puma ran out of Brackett Field in La Verne. They share quarters with LACOFD's east FireHawk (Blackhawk). My understanding valley floor calls go first to LACOFD, San Gabriel Mountain/LA National Forest to LACOSO.

My understanding that LACOSO staffs a second Puma at Long Beach as staff allows/special events. One spare.

LACOFD staffs a north helicopter and west helicopter (both FireHawks) on top of the east aircraft. The west helicopter moves back to Pacoima in the evening as it is subject to fog.

I thought LACOFD has four FireHawks with a fifth on order.

LA City FD runs at least one AW-139 out of Van Nuys. This is the same type of helicopter Maryland State Police is transition to. I have been told half a dozen stories about possible staffing of a second AW-139 for medical calls, so I am not clear what LA City FD is doing. FAA lists LA City FD with four AW-139s.

Each agency will handle others calls if aircraft is down, on call, multiple calls and so on. I understand they will call Ventura County Fire/SO's helicopter or San Bernardino County SO on occasion prior to calling Mercy Air.

My understanding Catalina Island calls go to the closest available public aircraft.

I am told the AW-139 for its size is produces little noise in-flight. Keeps complaints from the Hollywood Hills down. https://youtu.be/0n_vf6VB3n8

That Agusta is a nice helicopter.