Futures
It will be interesting to see how the 'rescue/public service' industry develops.
The police [now] 24/7 but mainly a crime fighting tool with secondary out of hours ambulance and search roles. Potential hoist capability [London], searchlight and EO/IR. NVG developing
UK SAR 24/7 mainly a SAR tool with secondary ambulance and some
recorded crime fighting roles noted in recent times and the past. The only one with any real personnel capacity, a dedicated hoist capability, searchlight and EO/IR. NVG
Air ambulance daylight only but moving towards some work in the dark.... may be 24/7 one day and some potential winch/long line capability. Searchlight already perhaps EO/IR in the future. NVG developing
All three are nominally the same but have difference priorities and funding models. The air ambulance has the more stable funding model when compared to the government funded police and SAR but those dedication borders are being steadily eroded. The threat to the air ambulance funding model is perhaps a public perception that they might be leaving the cosy charitable sector of 'ambulance.'
It is not beyond belief that an air ambulance charity might one day use its superior funding model to actually start using a hoist to lift rather than as a [retractable] long line, and might carry a multi-purpose EO/IR rather than perhaps start use as a night vision aid.
The result might be a complete reverse engineering of the dual use Wiltshire Police/Ambulance operation of yesteryear.
There are already several instances of charity funded SAR ambulances with a supplementry police option in Australia so the three seperate elements as we now have could easly and safely morph into one over a [considerable] period of time - that would mean we do not exactly have 'police helicopters'at all.