Jim, you're hi-jacking the thread to some extent.
Ground based rescue teams do not need advance training with SAR ops. It is a luxury and doesn't /won't form part of the overall plan - neither financially nor operationally. If necessary - brief them at scene like we have done for decades.
There is nothing to learn?? Downwash? Whats there to brief? Go under the disc and its windy. The end. The only important thing to do is to ensure the crewman/woman on scene, grips the rescue team on scene early, and briefs them away from the chopper.
It might seem/sound simplistic...but guess what...it is! The problem is: several 'entities' have built empires around/on this subject. As I said before, they are a valuable contribution to some emergencies and the country is far better off because of your contributions. BUT there is too much 'noise' made about cross pol training between both parties. It is not essential; nice but not essential.
The other thing to remember is that if one lives and functions outside this Search and Rescue 'bubble'...ie: joe/joanne public...they DON'T CARE. For the same reason that they don't care that the AA is the 4th emergency service????? (Is it?).
To this day your neighbour and my neighbour STILL know nothing about SAR, absolutely nothing (unless someone they know has been rescued by them which is probably 0.001% of the population). They know some aeroplanes are yellow, some white and red, some grey and red. Do you think the public will flinch if there is no training for MRT's? Government reflects this therefore.
If there was a SAR tax/insurance...then matters would change significantly
Let's stick with the juicy operational bits about this contract, eh?