A press release from Republican Party Sheriff’s candidate Bill Prim:

EXPERIENCE KEY FACTOR IN BILL PRIM’S JOINING BOARD OF HELICOPTER RESCUE ORGANIZATION

Republican candidate for McHenry County Sheriff Bill Prim was recently appointed as a member of the Board of Directors of the Air-One Emergency Response Coalition, a not-for-profit organization that supports first-responder agencies with helicopter air-support.

The decision to appoint him as a Board member of the prestigious group was heavily influenced by Prim’s experience in complex and high-priority investigations in concert with the FBI, U.S. Customs and state and local law enforcement agencies, said Air-One Board Chairman Joel Brumlik.

“We highly value the expertise that Bill garnered in multi-agency coordination and communications,” he added.

“When we deploy one or more of our aircraft to a community that is struggling with a man made or natural disaster, or with an immediate rescue situation, we need to speak the language of law enforcement officers and other first responders.

“We don’t have time to learn as we go.

“Bill will help guide our organization in terms of assuring we are always on top of cutting-edge law enforcement methods and trends.”

“McHenry County is not tornado or flood proof, nor is it crime-free,” Prim said.

“I hope we never have to call on Air-One, but it’s good to know they are there. So when this very fine non-profit group asked me to donate my time and talents, I immediately said yes. I am glad to be part of maintaining and improving this service, which is available to all first-responder agencies, not just those of McHenry County,” he added.

Air-One supports first responder agencies with helicopter air support for search and rescue; disaster relief; and numerous other missions.

Known by their familiar “Air-One” call sign, the helicopters are frequently called upon by emergency management, law enforcement or fire/rescue agencies lacking air support capabilities.

Air-One is a not-for-profit, 501(c)3 charitable organization, managed and staffed by over 70 highly experienced professionals from the aviation, law enforcement, emergency management and fire-rescue sectors, all volunteering their time to the organization.

Their fleet consists of nine high-performance helicopters, including seven Bell OH-58 “Kiowas”, one Bell UH-1V “Huey” and one twin-engine Bell HH-1N “Huey”.

The group came to national prominence in 2003, when they were among the first helicopter units to arrive in New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Using specialized night vision goggles, the Air-One crew was able to navigate the darkened city during numerous flights evacuating patients from Tulane Hospital and returning with critically needed supplies.

Within the first 12 hours on scene, the Air-One crew facilitated the evacuation of nearly 1,800 patients from the hospital using the top floor of an adjacent parking garage as its landing zone.

Available 24/7/365, over the past 11 years Air-One has responded to hundreds of emergency call-outs and pre-planned missions in support of local 1st responder agencies throughout northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin.

Whether it’s searching for a lost child or missing and endangered senior, or aiding in the apprehension of a dangerous fleeing felon, the Air-One crew answers the call day or night.

The group also trains and is prepared for aiding when incidents of natural disasters or homeland security strike, providing vital capabilities of bringing supplies into areas no longer reachable by roadways.

Prim will serve without compensation on the 19-member Board for a period of three years. The unanimous vote to confirm him as a member came at Air-One’s annual full Board meeting held on July 17, 2014.