Era Group Inc. (NYSE:ERA), one of the largest helicopter operators in the world, today announced that its search and rescue (SAR) program is the 2017 winner of Helicopter Association International’s Salute to Excellence Airbus Helicopters Golden Hour Award. The annual award is presented to those who have advanced the use of helicopters in the vital mission of air medical transport.

“We are honored by the recognition for the excellence of Era’s SAR program, which offers the highest level of life-saving support for those in need,” said Chris Bradshaw, Era’s President and CEO. “Era’s SAR program is the premier search and rescue provider in the U.S., and this award is a testament to the dedicated teams at Era and our partner Priority 1 Air Rescue who have worked so hard to position our SAR program at the forefront of the industry.”

Era pioneered the first U.S. commercial SAR program, in partnership with Priority 1 Air Rescue (P1AR). Era’s SAR program has responded to more than 1,050 emergency calls from more than 70 companies in the Gulf of Mexico. As the only search and rescue provider that is medically licensed in Texas and Louisiana, Era’s SAR program provides 24-hour offshore advanced life support medical care on the U.S. Gulf of Mexico Outer Continental Shelf (OCS).

“Our partnership with Era SAR is a natural fit for Priority 1 Air Rescue’s search and rescue mission support expertise and I believe the program’s proven capability and success is evidence of that,” noted Brad Matheson, President of Priority 1 Air Rescue. “Together we’ve built a world-class SAR program and it is truly an honor for our SAR team members to be recognized by HAI for their efforts.”

The SAR program is supported by dedicated Era dispatchers certified as Emergency Medical Dispatchers, experienced pilots qualified in instrument flight rules, night-vision goggles, air ambulance and hoist rescues, and P1AR medically qualified rescue specialists — making it the most comprehensive program serving the OCS. Era’s SAR program can support local, state and federal crisis emergency response efforts for various emergency situations.