ASSIST-U.S. Delivers the Aviation Liaison Officer (ALO) seminar to NH Emergency Services Personnel

Despite a major snow storm blanketing the New Hampshire landscape, 12 hardy emergency services personnel attended the ASSIST-U.S. Aviation Liaison Officer (ALO) seminar on January 16, 2013, at the NH Fire Academy training center in Concord, NH.

The seminar was sponsored by the NH Department of Safety, Division of Fire Standards and Training & Emergency Medical Services (NHFSTEMS). It explained the ALO role and concept of operations for emergency services personnel serving or planning to serve in the ALO position. 

Rick Bartle, Director of Aviation Operations at ASSIST-U.S., addressed the following topics that are essential to the smooth and efficient operation of an emergency response unit that needs or intends to use aviation resources and assets:

• Basic aircraft types and operations
• Types of aviation engagements / missions
• Flight operations and landing site considerations
• Communication best practices: aircrew, agencies, the public
• Safety and cost considerations

Participant comments indicate that those attending found the seminar very helpful and useful in understanding their role in the application of aviation resources in their organizations:

• “Very insightful and helpful. I would recommend this class to colleagues.”
• “Overall, excellent reach out to the public safety community! Thanks.”
• “Great seminar, thanks! Lots of new and useful information.”
• “Even though there was a lot of information squeezed into a short amount of time, the information was very knowledgeable and helpful.”

The 3-hour session, which qualified for 4 CEUs, was an overview of a longer 3-day program available through ASSIST-U.S. Anyone interested in the longer program or other courses in our "Aviation Special Missions Training Program (ASMTP) curriculum can contact the company at registrar@assist-us.com.