HELICOPTER SEARCH AND RESCUE TECHNICIAN (HSART)

Summary of position expectations

• Performing Search & Rescue operations onboard Texas Military Department (TMD) UH60 Blackhawk and LUH-72 Lakota aircraft or other response partner aircraft as a single individual or part of a two-person team during both day and night operations
  • Performing helicopter hoist rescue operations
  • Conducting reconnaissance & assessment
  • Assisting in air evacuation
  • Facilitating air transport of task force equipment & personnel
  • Performing other duties as assigned by Joint Air-Ground Coordination Team (JAGCT) or Air Operations Center (AOC)
• Emergency medical care may be performed by the HSART in accordance with the HSART’s medical certification and HSART’s sponsoring agency’s emergency medicine protocols

Requirements

• Demonstrate proficiency with knots
• Pass TX-TF1 HSART Fitness Test
  • 300 yards freestyle swim
  • 400 yards mask/snorkel & fins swim (no arms)
  • Helicopter Underwater Egress dunker
  • 1-mile run

Required General Training 

• Complete prior to application (no cost):
  • ICS-100, ICS-200, ICS-700, and ICS-800

Paperwork Requirements

• After acceptance onto the Task Force, you will need to have the following documents on file:
  • Memorandum of Understanding (renew every 3 years)
  • Signed Code of Conduct

Required Position-Specific Training 

• Swiftwater Rescue Technician
• Rope Rescue Level I & II
• Emergency Medical Technician – Basic (EMT-B) or Paramedic (EMT-P or EMT-LP)

Training Recommendations

• NASAR Fundamental of Search and Rescue (FUNSAR) Course
• ICS-300 and ICS-400
• Wide Area Search

Recurrent Requirements 

• Quarterly Recurrent Requirements
  • Direct deployment & recovery, both airframes
  • Survivor recovery into cabin (each airframe) with strop & Hotseat
• Semiannual Recurrent Requirements
  • Academic and live-flight training with all rescue devices
• Annual Recurrent Requirements
  • Hoist academics, per current US Army Aviation rescue hoist SOP
  • Direct deployment & recovery – trees (each airframe)
  • Helicopter Emergency Egress Device (HEED) Review
  • Helicopter Underwater Egress Review
• Triannual Recurrent Requirements
  • HEED Training
  • Helicopter Underwater Egress Training