San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department Receives $1 Million In Federal Funding For Air Rescue Operations

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. (VVNG.com) — The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department will receive $1.031 million in federal funding to support its search-and-rescue aviation program and help offset the cost of new rescue helicopters serving communities across the county.

The funding was secured by U.S. Rep. Judy Chu and will support rescue operations throughout San Bernardino County, including the Mt. Baldy area of the Angeles National Forest, according to a written statement from the Sheriff’s Department.

San Bernardino County has invested approximately $36 million in new rescue helicopters to modernize the department’s aviation fleet. The federal funding will offset part of that investment, allowing local resources to continue supporting personnel, aircraft maintenance, equipment, training and other operational costs associated with the air rescue program.

The Sheriff’s Department said the funding follows years of advocacy by Sheriff Shannon Dicus and county leaders seeking greater federal participation in emergency operations involving federally managed lands, including Mt. Baldy.

“For several years, we have made the case that Mt. Baldy is not simply a local search-and-rescue issue. Our deputies, air crews and volunteer search-and-rescue members respond because there is a life on the other end of that call, and we will never hesitate to do that. This $1 million federal investment is an important acknowledgment that the federal government also has a responsibility to help provide the resources necessary to keep the public and our rescuers safe. I want to thank Representative Chu for hearing our concerns, staying engaged with us and delivering a meaningful investment in our air rescue program,” Dicus said in the written statement.

San Bernardino County covers more than 20,000 square miles of mountains, deserts and remote terrain. The Sheriff’s Aviation Unit operates search-and-rescue helicopters equipped with external hoists and advanced emergency medical equipment.

Through a partnership with the San Bernardino County Fire Protection District, County Fire paramedics are assigned to the aviation program. The arrangement allows crews to reach patients in remote areas, provide advanced life support during rescues and transport critically injured patients for medical treatment.

The department operates two dedicated rescue aircraft capable of conducting search-and-rescue missions, medical evacuations, hoist operations and other emergency missions.

From April 2024 through August 2026, the two aircraft responded to 177 rescue or medical assistance calls, extracted or transported 233 people and conducted 139 flights involving hoist operations, according to the department.

Mt. Baldy and the Devil’s Backbone Trail remain among the county’s most challenging rescue environments. During the same period, the area accounted for 12 documented rescue flights involving the two aircraft. Nearby Ice House Canyon, San Antonio Falls and Cucamonga Peak also generated rescue missions.

Officials said rescue activity increases during winter, when snow and ice can quickly turn heavily traveled trails into hazardous mountaineering terrain.

San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors Vice Chair Joe Baca Jr. said the federal funding would help support the regional rescue program while reducing the burden on local taxpayers.

“Public safety remains one of San Bernardino County’s highest priorities, and this federal investment will help ensure our Sheriff’s Department has the resources needed to respond when lives are at risk. Our aviation and search-and-rescue teams operate across some of the most challenging terrain in our region, where having the right aircraft can make all the difference. We are grateful to Congresswoman Judy Chu for securing more than $1 million to strengthen this lifesaving capability and help keep our residents, visitors, and first responders safe,” Baca said.

The department also pointed to a severe winter storm cycle from Dec. 28 through Dec. 30, 2025, as an example of the challenges crews face in the mountains.

During that period, Sheriff’s aircraft conducted seven flights in the Devil’s Backbone and Cucamonga Peak areas.

On Dec. 29, three hikers were found dead near the Devil’s Backbone Trail after apparent falls during severe winter conditions. High winds initially prevented crews from recovering them, according to the department.

During the same storm cycle, crews rescued multiple hikers, including locating a person who had fallen approximately 700 feet and remained alive.

Chu said the federal funding will help provide rescuers with equipment needed to perform missions in the San Gabriel Mountains.

“The San Gabriel Mountains are one of our region’s greatest treasures, but Mt. Baldy’s steep terrain and unpredictable conditions can make emergencies especially dangerous and search-and-rescue operations incredibly difficult. Our San Bernardino County first responders have repeatedly put their own safety on the line to reach people in need, and they deserve the best tools available to do their jobs safely and effectively. That’s why I was proud to deliver more than $1 million in federal community project funding I secured in Congress for the Sheriff’s Department to purchase a new helicopter, giving rescuers a critical tool to reach people quickly and safely when every minute matters,” Chu said.

According to the Sheriff’s Department, the federal award will reduce the county’s share of the helicopter investment while preserving local funding for personnel, maintenance, training, medical equipment and other costs necessary to keep the aviation program operational.

In addition to search-and-rescue missions, the department’s aircraft are used for emergency medical transportation, personnel insertion and extraction, law enforcement operations, wildfire support and mutual aid.

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