Era Group’s search-and-rescue (SAR) program will receive the 2017 Airbus Helicopters Golden Hour Award at Heli-Expo this year. The award recognizes an individual or organization that has made notable advancements in helicopter use during SAR missions. Era representatives will receive the award at the Salute to Excellence Awards dinner at the Hilton Anatole Dallas on March 8.

Era, in partnership with Priority 1 Air Rescue (P1AR), started the first commercial SAR program in the U.S. and has responded to more than 1,050 emergency calls from over 70 companies based near the Gulf of Mexico. The company was the first emergency flight services provider to update the Leonardo AW139 for SAR mission capabilities and currently operates three SAR-equipped AW139s from Houma, La., and Galveston, Texas. In fact, Era is the only SAR provider medically licensed in these two locations.

The SAR program offers 24-hour offshore life support medical care on the U.S. Gulf of Mexico outer continental shelf. Supported by four certified emergency medical dispatchers, the program boasts 38 medically qualified P1AR rescue specialists, 18 trained pilots, night-vision goggles, hoist rescues and air-ambulance services. With all this, the SAR program can support federal, state and local crisis emergency response efforts for numerous emergency situations.

The three AW139 helicopters are able to complete deep-water maritime SAR and emergency medical services. According to officials, the helicopters feature satellite tracking, enhanced ground proximity warning systems, night-vision imaging systems, forward-looking infrared systems, search pattern autopilot modes and dual hoist and fully integrated auto-hover.

Because Era SAR is able to conduct emergency response in extreme environments, it is able to successfully handle the most challening SAR operations. As a result, Era helped identify the benefits of manned and unmanned aerial system integration in SAR missions for the Coast Guard’s Arctic Technology Evaluation in 2015. In this exercise, Era’s AW139 pilots worked together with P1AR crews in order to promote the combined use of marine and aviation assets during SAR missions.

Chris Bradshaw, Era’s president and CEO, said, “We are honored by the recognition for the excellence of Era’s SAR program, which offers the highest level of life-saving support for those in need. Era’s SAR program is the premier search and rescue provider in the U.S., and this award is a testament to the dedicated teams at Era and our partner Priority 1 Air Rescue, who have worked so hard to position our SAR program at the forefront of the industry.”