Description

This article describes some of the specifics of Rescue and Fire Fighting Services (RFFS) procedures for emergencies involving helicopters. It describes some of the specific threats associated with helicopters and lists some of the procedures that are followed by RFFS units.

Helicopter Specific Hazards and Challenges

The main hazards that a helicopter presents are:

• The main rotor – if rotating, it can cause:
  • direct damage by hitting a person or an object;
  • indirect damage due to the strong airflows created;
• The tail rotor – rotating at a very high speed, it is nearly invisible;

Helicopter crash specifics challenges: