PW
After I typed it, I did wonder if I had been clear enough!
What I envisaged was an omnicompitent crewperson, capable of carrying out the winch/paramedic/air observer role, rather than having to RTB and collect the relevant specialist dependant on mission. Ultimately, ex mil SAR staff have to be the obvious choice.
As far as I am aware, helo medics are simply qualified Paramedics who have done a helo course.
There has long been an argument that police air observers need to be police officers. The reason for this being that they need to know how the ground operatives mind is working. However, the same argument applies to civilian police communications operators. Onc they are up to speed, the majority of them are more than capable of running a pursuit, firearms incident or whatever. Even as someone who hoped to do the air observer thing sometime in my career (before transferring to Fraggle Rock) I still think it could be done by 'civ' crew.
As you probably gathered from my last post, I think we are rather small minded about air support in the British Isles. It is ultimately done on the cheap (please take that in context) and within very tight parameters. For example, look at the number of counties with coastline, that have no realistic maritime ability within their a/c. I remember an incident at Blackpool around 92/93, prior to Lancs purchasing their Squirrel, when a youth fell into the sea. Merseyside pitched up with their machine to scan the scene with nitesun and FLIR. No winch, or rescue ability. Bigger machine with different equipment and who knows?
Be interesting to see the views of ASU's up and down the UK. This isn't a dig at anyone's role or professionalism, just a creative view that will doubtless provoke some discussion.