AROHWS

The Air Rescue One Heli Winch Society (AROHWS) is a registered charitable organization dedicated to saving lives by delivering advanced helicopter-based rescue capability across British Columbia’s Southern Interior.

Founded in 2017, AROHWS was originally established to fund, equip, and operate specialized aerial rescue programs in support of search and rescue (SAR) operations throughout the Thompson Okanagan. Through strong partnerships with local SAR teams and government agencies, AROHWS provides rapid access to helicopter rescue services when terrain, distance, or patient condition make ground response insufficient.

AROHWS was established by volunteer rescue professionals and community members who recognized the need for a dedicated, locally supported helicopter rescue capability. Today, AROHWS provides the aircraft, rescue winch systems, trained flight crews, and medical rescue specialists required to conduct complex helicopter rescue missions across the Interior of British Columbia.

In 2024, AROHWS introduced a dedicated Bell 412EP rescue helicopter equipped with a modern rescue winch system, significantly enhancing regional rescue capacity. This capability exists because of the generosity of community donors and the support of operational partners.

What AROHWS Does

Through fundraising and community support, AROHWS enables:

  • Helicopter rescue training for rescue winch operators, helicopter rescue specialists, paramedics, regional SAR members, fire departments, and other first responders.

  • Specialized rescue and medical equipment, including rescue stretchers, cardiac monitors, rope rescue systems, swift water rescue equipment, and advanced medical supplies.

  • Program delivery and operational readiness, including flight and crew scheduling, base and asset management, human resource coordination, financial planning, equipment inspections and maintenance, and day-to-day rescue readiness operations.

  • Dedicated rescue aircraft and winch capability, ensuring helicopter-based rescue services are available to support SAR teams throughout the region.

AROHWS search and rescue programs are delivered collaboratively with Vernon Search and Rescue, integrating air and ground resources to support complex, time-critical rescue missions.

AROHWS is also available to work with other government agencies and organizations where helicopter-based rescue capability is required. For more information about our rescue programs, please contact us.

Our Goal.

For years, AROHWS-supported helicopter rescue operations have helped save hundreds of lives across British Columbia’s Southern Interior. Our goal is to ensure specialized helicopter rescue capability is available whenever it is needed.

Today, AROHWS provides year-round (365-day) helicopter rescue operations using a dedicated, winch-equipped rescue helicopter, supported by a fully trained and equipped rescue crew and a professional, mission-ready organization. This milestone represents a major advancement in regional rescue capacity.

Our next objective is to expand to full 24-hour operations. With continued community support, AROHWS will be able to provide around-the-clock helicopter rescue response, ensuring critically injured or stranded individuals can be reached at any hour, in any season.

Supporting AR1.

 

AROHWS is partially funded through task revenue, but this amount falls far short of funding the needs of the rescue program.  AROHWS relies heavily on the generosity of the community to help fund the shortfall. This allows the rescue program to keep saving lives every day.  With your help, we can reach our goals and help people in their hour of need.