Narrative:

I received a direct request (not through normal dispatch channels) from ZZZ fire department to assist the city fire and police departments in searching local creek and a tributary, which were flooding due to just-ended thunderstorms, for 2 young boys who had been witnessed being swept away by the flood waters. (Person is also employed part time in our flight for life program at the hospital as a flight nurse.) I immediately checked WX and returned the call to accept the request. I then notified the hospital dispatch system of the request and acceptance, and had the on-duty flight nurse paged. As the aircraft was prepared for flight, mr. X arrived, acting in his capacity as a fire department member and asked to fly with us. Mr. X and the flight nurse were informed that the flight would have to be conducted in violation of FARS under the emergency provisions of far 135.19. On departure, with both aboard, I advised both the hospital dispatcher and the ZZZ approach controller that the flight would be conducted under the emergency provisions of the FARS. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter states that using EMS helicopter for search and rescue is not unusual. Reporter states that this is not violation, however, it was anticipated that altitudes necessary for this search and rescue would probably violate clearance restrictions over structures, etc. This is reason far 135.19 was invoked.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF AN EMS HELI ACFT DEVIATED FROM THE FAR RULES FOR AN EMER SEARCH AND RESCUE OP.

Narrative: I RECEIVED A DIRECT REQUEST (NOT THROUGH NORMAL DISPATCH CHANNELS) FROM ZZZ FIRE DEPT TO ASSIST THE CITY FIRE AND POLICE DEPTS IN SEARCHING LOCAL CREEK AND A TRIBUTARY, WHICH WERE FLOODING DUE TO JUST-ENDED TSTMS, FOR 2 YOUNG BOYS WHO HAD BEEN WITNESSED BEING SWEPT AWAY BY THE FLOOD WATERS. (PERSON IS ALSO EMPLOYED PART TIME IN OUR FLT FOR LIFE PROGRAM AT THE HOSPITAL AS A FLT NURSE.) I IMMEDIATELY CHKED WX AND RETURNED THE CALL TO ACCEPT THE REQUEST. I THEN NOTIFIED THE HOSPITAL DISPATCH SYS OF THE REQUEST AND ACCEPTANCE, AND HAD THE ON-DUTY FLT NURSE PAGED. AS THE ACFT WAS PREPARED FOR FLT, MR. X ARRIVED, ACTING IN HIS CAPACITY AS A FIRE DEPT MEMBER AND ASKED TO FLY WITH US. MR. X AND THE FLT NURSE WERE INFORMED THAT THE FLT WOULD HAVE TO BE CONDUCTED IN VIOLATION OF FARS UNDER THE EMER PROVISIONS OF FAR 135.19. ON DEP, WITH BOTH ABOARD, I ADVISED BOTH THE HOSPITAL DISPATCHER AND THE ZZZ APCH CTLR THAT THE FLT WOULD BE CONDUCTED UNDER THE EMER PROVISIONS OF THE FARS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR STATES THAT USING EMS HELI FOR SEARCH AND RESCUE IS NOT UNUSUAL. RPTR STATES THAT THIS IS NOT VIOLATION, HOWEVER, IT WAS ANTICIPATED THAT ALTS NECESSARY FOR THIS SEARCH AND RESCUE WOULD PROBABLY VIOLATE CLRNC RESTRICTIONS OVER STRUCTURES, ETC. THIS IS REASON FAR 135.19 WAS INVOKED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.