RECCO Expands Global SAR Helicopter Detector Network With Three New Deployments Across North America

RECCO, a global leader in rescue technology, today announced the continued expansion of its RECCO SAR Helicopter Detector network with new deployments in Prince George, British Columbia; Riverside County, California; and the state of New York. These additions bring the total number of RECCO SAR Helicopter Detector units in North America to 16.

The placement in New York also marks the first deployment of a RECCO SAR Helicopter Detector on the East Coast of the U.S. Together, the new deployments strengthen aerial search-and-rescue coverage across diverse landscapes, from the remote wilderness to the mountain regions and backcountry terrain.

The RECCO SAR Helicopter Detector can quicker search large areas for missing persons, covering up to a square kilometer in approximately six minutes. The system helps reduce search times while minimizing exposure and risk for rescue personnel during missions. 

“Each new placement strengthens the overall RECCO SAR network,” said Fredrik Steinwall, CEO at RECCO. “We’re seeing strong adoption from professional rescue organizations and brands, and the expansion into the eastern United States represents an important milestone. Our goal is to make more people searchable and safer in the outdoors, regardless of where their adventures take them.” 

The newly announced placements include:

• Prince George, British Columbia 
  The new helicopter detector based in Prince George expands aerial search coverage across the northern half of British Columbia as part of the province-wide RECCO SAR network. The unit serves as a shared provincial resource available to all BC SAR teams and requesting agencies and covers the following areas:  

North to South: The entire northern half of British Columbia, extending south into the Cariboo region 

West to East: From the Northern West Coast to the Alberta border 

• Riverside County, California 
  In Southern California, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office has adopted the RECCO SAR Helicopter Detector to enhance search-and-rescue operations across the region’s mountain terrain.

 ”We look forward to utilizing the device in future search missions and to developing a long-lasting partnership with RECCO,” says Jason Beeman, Riverside County Sheriff's Department.   

• New York State 
  In the eastern United States, the RECCO SAR Helicopter Detector will be operated by the New York State Forest Rangers in cooperation with the New York State Police Aviation Unit. 

Howie Howlett, North American Director of Training and Technical Support for RECCO, said: “The collaboration with the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office expands regional search capabilities to now cover the southern part of the state of California. The new placement in New York expands our network into the eastern U.S.. Combined with the new Prince George placement in Canada, this is a display of RECCO’s ongoing commitment to increase the availability of a system that can save time and resources when backcountry adventurers are reported missing.” 

The RECCO SAR Helicopter Detector system was launched in 2016, expanding the technology beyond avalanche rescue to support year-round search-and-rescue missions. The helicopter-mounted detector complements RECCO handheld detectors and enables rescue teams to search large areas more efficiently across a wide range of environments — from dense forests and bushland to alpine terrain. 

Today, there are approximately 50 RECCO SAR Helicopter Detectors deployed worldwide, including 16 in North America, 28 across Europe, one in Nepal, and two in New Zealand. More broadly, the RECCO rescue network supports operations at more than 900 ski resorts and mountain rescue organizations across 32 countries. 

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