Emergency Services
The latest news and updates regarding airborne policing and aerial firefighting, as well as fixed-wing emergency rescue and relief
Emergency Services Headlines
BETA ALIA CTOL tests electric medical logistics in rural North Carolina
A BETA ALIA CTOL aircraft has demonstrated the potential for electric aviation to support medical logistics across rural eastern North Carolina as part of the US state’s eLIFT-NC program
9 Oct 2026
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Chloe Fox
New York Army National Guard trains Black Hawk crews for aerial firefighting
UH-60M crews practiced water-bucket operations alongside Forest Rangers as part of refresher training for aerial wildfire response
9 Oct 2026
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Siân Yates
Colorado tests precision-guided aerial wildfire suppression system
GPS-guided water-delivery units are being evaluated for initial wildfire attack in conditions that can restrict conventional aerial firefighting operations
8 Oct 2026
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Siân Yates
Airbus wins 25-year cybersecurity contract for French armed forces
Airbus will develop and maintain gateways that allow the French armed forces to exchange data securely between networks with different security classifications, including systems used in aircraft and deployed command...
8 Oct 2026
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Mandy Langfield
Cyprus considers dedicated air ambulance service
Reliance on overseas providers can leave critically ill patients waiting up to 15 hours for medical transfers, prompting calls for an aircraft to be permanently based in Cyprus
7 Oct 2026
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Mandy Langfield
Proon-Tech and ELSA Industry partner on UAV technology for wildfire response
The companies plan to combine aerospace engineering, UAV capabilities, and biotechnology to develop aerial systems for wildfire and emergency operations
7 Oct 2026
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Siân Yates
Metro Aviation and BETA test electric aircraft for Texas EMS operations
The companies flew BETA’s ALIA CTOL aircraft with Washington County EMS to test its potential for transporting disaster-response equipment
6 Oct 2026
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Mandy Langfield
Game Aerospace GB2 completes successful first flight
The GB2 is a purpose-built aircraft developed in the USA for aerial firefighting with a payload of 1,200gal
5 Oct 2026
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Jon Adams
Emergency Services Long Reads
Fire intelligence aircraft: eyes in the sky that never blink
Barry D Smith explores how the aerial firefighting sector is adapting its processes to incorporate better sensor technology and increase the value gained from the data available
1 Oct 2026
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Barry D Smith
Mixing bowl
Some operators have mission requirements that demand a mix of fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft in their fleet. Ian Harbison learns how differing operations affect equipment choice
1 Oct 2026
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Ian Harbison
Industry voices: Bridging the distance: Why South Africa needs the Diploma in Retrieval and Transfer Medicine
Dr Neville Vlok, Specialist Emergency Physician, and Kaleb Lachenicht, Emergency Care Practitioner, detail the complexity of retrieval medicine and the subsequent value of a qualification that demonstrates clinical competence and...
1 Oct 2026
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Dr Neville Vlok
& Kaleb Lachenicht
Gallery: Royal Marines Commandos lead interdiction of sanctioned Russian tanker
LPhot Hutchins and an unnamed Royal Navy photographer record a first-of-its-kind mission by Royal Marines Commandos to prevent vessels of the Russian shadow fleet from flouting the sanctions restricting them...
1 Sep 2026
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LPhot Hutchins
Gallery: Getting ready for the wildfire season in Cyprus
Training sorties before the wildfire season starts are an important way to get skills fresh and ready for the demands of the job as soon as they are needed. AS1...
3 Aug 2026
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AS1 Natalie Adams
Industry voice: Fixed-wing air medical safety: experience, technology, and the evolving risk profile
Terry Palmer details how the risks of fixed-wing air medical transfers need to be addressed in an evolving and complex industry to ensure safety for patients and crew alike
3 Aug 2026
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Terry Palmer
Air patrol and support
Mario Pierobon looks at crew configurations, air–ground coordination protocols, and the integration of emerging technologies, including uncrewed aerial systems, into established airborne law enforcement operations
1 Jul 2026
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Dr Mario Pierobon
The art and science of missing person searches
Police departments are using the technology at their disposal to find people who have gone missing. Barry D Smith explores what makes for a successful operation
1 Jul 2026
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Barry D Smith
2025 Aerial Firefighting Special Edition
April 2025
Issue
Our April edition has a special focus on aerial firefighting, with features that include rescues during wildfire situations; the coordination process and tools used between aircraft and firefighters; the distinct job of the smokejumper; the different use cases for buckets and tanks, and what needs to be considered for your airframe; the continued appeal of the Firehawk platform; and the importance of proper expertise when treating traumatic brain injuries; plus more of our regular content.
Helicopter rescue on the fire line
When people need to be retrieved from the scene of a wildfire, how do aerial firefighting teams track them down and extract them safely? Barry D Smith speaks to operators...
2 Apr 2025
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Barry D Smith
Fire support: coordination of ground and air assets
Attacking a fire from the air requires careful coordination with those on the ground as well as other aerial assets. Chris Croot provides a look at the world of aerial...
2 Apr 2025
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Chris Croot
The boots on the ground in the fight against wildfires
Smokejumping – where firefighters parachute in to remote sites to contain smaller wildfires – has been around since the 1940s. Barry D Smith speaks to smokejumpers from the USA and...
2 Apr 2025
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Barry D Smith
Buckets or tanks? Options for aerial firefighters
Modifications to aircraft carrying fluid can be complex. Jennifer Ferrero finds out what changes need to be made, and which conveyance is best for various application
2 Apr 2025
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Jennifer Ferrero