The team covers 15,000 square miles of North Central Florida, both interstates, part of South Georgia and the coastal areas. The Eurocopter BK-117 helicopter can fly up to 70 miles. Its average speed is 150 mph. But first they have to decide if they can take the call. The first step after receiving the call from dispatch Jacksonville, which decides in about 10 seconds which helicopter to use, is to check weather conditions.
Visibility is a big factor in deciding whether a helicopter goes up.
The pilot has to have good visibility because a helicopter is flown by sight with the aid of instruments. The pilot makes the final decision on whether to go up, but each crew member has input. Crew members also act as extra sets of eyes for the pilot by watching out for other aircraft and deadly obstacles, such as overhanging trees and wires. We can t get everybody, but we can do the best we can. For safety reasons.