When the Georgia State Patrol’s (GSP) Aviation Division was
created in 1974, it was a small unit of four total aircraft and just a few
pilots. As the state’s population increased during the 1970s, general aviation
was utilized mostly for search and rescue missions. As our state leaders came
to appreciate the value that general aviation could bring for a variety of
public services, the Aviation Division continued to expand.
Today, we are a team of 21, comprising of pilots, maintenance technicians, and
general support staff. With 6 aviation hangars strategically placed, we serve
all 159 counties in Georgia. We answer the call for any local law enforcement
agency in need of aerial support to catch criminals on the run, fight fires on
private lands and state parks, conduct crowd control for large events and
rescue at-risk individuals in remote area.
As the largest state by land area east of the Mississippi River, our communities
and geography are diverse. While we have large metropolitan areas in
Atlanta and Augusta, most of the state is made up of small towns and rural
communities. Having a centralized agency like ours to handle all aerial service
requests for the state is a literal lifeline to many of these communities.
Search and rescue continues to be one of the most needed services.
For example, a few years back, the Georgia State Patrol fielded a call from
McDuffie County about an Alzheimer’s patient that had gone missing. For three
days, massive thunderstorms had made it almost impossible for ground crews to
effectively search the area around his home. It wasn’t until one of our pilots
flew over the densely wooded area that he spotted a man in a white t-shirt
lying on the forest ground near his home. His dog was even at his side for
those three days to look after him. We were able to transport the individual to
an off-site ambulance to receive emergency care. Cases like this are prevalent
within our division. We are constantly receiving calls about missing hikers,
runaway children, and patients with mental illnesses. Often times, general
aviation saves these people’s lives.
General aviation provides services for large metropolitan areas as well. During
the Super Bowl this year, the Atlanta Police Department relied on our aviation
unit to survey the city centers to conduct crowd monitoring and traffic
control. Linking our communications to patrol centers in Atlanta, we were able
to send a live look-in of visitor activity to authorities in the city. From
there, they were able to more appropriately plan and make decisions to keep the
city safe.
With large mountain ranges and swamplands, our aviation unit is constantly
active in fire-fighting missions. Unfortunately, the Okefenokee Swamp in
particular is at the risk of wildfire almost every year due to its plant
material and shallow waters. In some cases, it is actually beneficial to let
the fire burn out in the center of the swamp. But in times when the fire
stretches out to the edge of the swamp, it can threaten communities and
infrastructure. Back in 2016, a fire at the swamp had been raging for over two
weeks, at times growing larger than entire counties in the state. In response,
we equipped our helicopters with bambi buckets, which are large tanks that can
hold about 210 gallons of water. Dumping these gallons of water for weeks on
end, our crews were instrumental in preventing the fire from spreading
throughout the state, possibly saving the state millions of dollars in damage.
Our aviation unit would be nothing without the network of local airports in the
state - 95 to be exact - that allow us to station our aircraft
strategically. And the picture is the same throughout the country.
While most commercial traffic goes through the 30 biggest airports like
Atlanta-Hartsfield, there are over 5000 airports around the country that serve
as a lifeline to communities, support businesses and allow for critical
services. As our leaders in Congress discuss the future of our infrastructure,
let's not forget the critical role of general aviation and local airports
throughout our state and the country as a whole.
Paul Wofford is a Corporal with the Georgia State Patrol
When we talk infrastructure and aviation, don't forget about general aviation
Sign up for our e-newsletters