Tech. Sgt. Jorge Intriago 169th Fighter Wing
150307-Z-XH297-010
The South Carolina Helicopter Aquatic Rescue Team (SC-HART) along with U.S. Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters and crew assigned to the 2-151st Aviation, S.C. Army National Guard, rescue simulated victims during the Vigilant Guard South Carolina exercise, in Georgetown, S.C., March 7, 2015. Vigilant Guard is a series of federally funded disaster-response drills conducted by National Guard units working with federal, state and local emergency management agencies and first responders. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. Jorge Intriago/Released)
The South Carolina-Helicopter Aquatic Rescue Team will be conducting their second annual training exercise in the Charleston area from June 4th through June 6th, 2024.
On these dates, you may notice a larger presence of fire service, law enforcement, and military personnel, as well as military helicopters and rescue boats. Please do not be alarmed, as these individuals are participating in the exercise.
The focus of the exercise scenarios will be water search and rescue in-and-around the Stono River and along the Charleston Harbor. There are many federal, state, and local agencies participating in this training exercise, with St. John’s Fire District being the primary host.
The South Carolina Helicopter Aquatic Rescue Team is a collaborative effort between South Carolina-Task Force 1 (SC-TF1) under the direction of S.C. LLR, Office of the State Fire Marshal, SC Emergency Management Division, and the 59th Aviation Troop Command (59th ATC) of the South Carolina Army National Guard, with helicopter units from Joint National Guard Base (JNGB) McEntire, Eastover, and from Donaldson Center, Greenville. SC-HART has trained professional rescuers from SC-TF1, and highly-trained pilots and crew members from the Army National Guard that form a cohesive unit capable of performing rescue using the UH-60 Black Hawk and LUH 72 Lakota helicopters.
For additional information on the South Carolina Helicopter Aquatic Rescue Team, visit https://statefire.llr.sc.gov/
