PLT OF AN EMS HELI ACFT DEVIATED FROM THE FAR RULES FOR AN EMER SEARCH AND RESCUE OP.

Narrative

I RECEIVED A DIRECT REQUEST (NOT THROUGH NORMAL DISPATCH CHANNELS) FROM ZZZ FIRE DEPT TO ASSIST THE CITY FIRE AND POLICE DEPTS IN SEARCHING LOCAL CREEK AND A TRIBUTARY; WHICH WERE FLOODING DUE TO JUST-ENDED TSTMS; FOR 2 YOUNG BOYS WHO HAD BEEN WITNESSED BEING SWEPT AWAY BY THE FLOOD WATERS. (PERSON IS ALSO EMPLOYED PART TIME IN OUR FLT FOR LIFE PROGRAM AT THE HOSPITAL AS A FLT NURSE.) I IMMEDIATELY CHKED WX AND RETURNED THE CALL TO ACCEPT THE REQUEST. I THEN NOTIFIED THE HOSPITAL DISPATCH SYS OF THE REQUEST AND ACCEPTANCE; AND HAD THE ON-DUTY FLT NURSE PAGED. AS THE ACFT WAS PREPARED FOR FLT; MR. X ARRIVED; ACTING IN HIS CAPACITY AS A FIRE DEPT MEMBER AND ASKED TO FLY WITH US. MR. X AND THE FLT NURSE WERE INFORMED THAT THE FLT WOULD HAVE TO BE CONDUCTED IN VIOLATION OF FARS UNDER THE EMER PROVISIONS OF FAR 135.19. ON DEP; WITH BOTH ABOARD; I ADVISED BOTH THE HOSPITAL DISPATCHER AND THE ZZZ APCH CTLR THAT THE FLT WOULD BE CONDUCTED UNDER THE EMER PROVISIONS OF THE FARS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR STATES THAT USING EMS HELI FOR SEARCH AND RESCUE IS NOT UNUSUAL. RPTR STATES THAT THIS IS NOT VIOLATION; HOWEVER; IT WAS ANTICIPATED THAT ALTS NECESSARY FOR THIS SEARCH AND RESCUE WOULD PROBABLY VIOLATE CLRNC RESTRICTIONS OVER STRUCTURES; ETC. THIS IS REASON FAR 135.19 WAS INVOKED.