Inside the CHP Air Rescue Training Near Auburn, and What It Costs Officers to Get There

KCRA 3 recently got exclusive access to an annual master class for California Highway Patrol Air Rescue Operations, and the setting was about as local as it gets: rocky terrain near the China Bar Cardiac Trail Peak, along the North Fork of the American River in Auburn. Crews practiced hoist lifts and precise placements, the kind of work that happens when someone is stranded on a cliff or injured in a spot no vehicle can reach. Air Rescue Systems runs the training for CHP pilot instructors from eight Air Operations units.

The numbers behind the job are striking. Fewer than 200 officers are assigned to the California Air Rescue Division statewide, and they cover everything from mountain canyons to open water. To qualify, an officer must first serve on patrol, then complete flight school, earn a commercial license, and log 300 flight hours, which is double the FAA requirement. That process takes about two years and costs roughly $80,000 to $100,000, paid largely by the officer.

Captain Mike McClellin, CHP Air Operations Commander, says communication is critical once crews arrive on scene, whether it’s a cliffside rescue or an open field. He also points to risk mitigation as the greatest challenge, calling dynamic hoists and external load operations some of the most dangerous work these crews do. If you’re ever the person waiting for that helicopter, the advice is simple: stay put, stay visible, and follow the crew’s directions.

Have you ever seen a CHP helicopter working a rescue here in the Sacramento region? Tell us where.