North County Technical Rescue Team conducts training
Training included briefing about new helicopter
This month the team was invited to the Paso Robles Airport to be briefed by CHP Sergeant/Paramedic John Ontiveros on their newest Helicopter, H-70. Courtesy photo.
–The North County Technical Rescue Team conducted training this month at Paso Robles Airport.
Emergency Services and Atascadero Fire Department joined forces a few years ago to create the team, which is made up of eight firefighters from each agency trained to handle complex heavy rescue, confined space rescue, elevated rope rescue, trench rescue and swift water rescue. Each agency cross staffs rescue units that can be requested to the scene of these types of incidents.
The team conducts unique and complex training every other month, in preparation for unusual rescue incidents both agencies can encounter. This month the team was invited to the Paso Robles Airport to be briefed by CHP Sergeant/Paramedic John Ontiveros on their newest Helicopter, H-70.
Sergeant Ontiveros reviewed the features of the new A-Star Jet Helicopter. This included an updated infared camera system, new heavier capacity rescue hoist and a much more modern mapping and guidance system.
The helicopter crew’s primary mission is to support law enforcement agencies on the Central Coast and has a secondary mission to provide air ambulance and rescue services over a wider area to fire agencies and medical services. The team has trained extensively over the years with the H-70 crew, conducting pick-off rescues from the riverbed area.
