Bristow U.S. LLC announces that it has been awarded a contract with Shell Offshore, Inc., a subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell (Shell), for medevac and search and rescue (SAR) services in the Gulf of Mexico.

“We are drawing on our years of experience of safely and efficiently operating SAR around the world to deliver the highest standard of rescue service and medical care in the Gulf of Mexico,” said Bristow Americas Regional Director Samantha Willenbacher. “With our rescue fleet, all parts of the Gulf of Mexico are within reach of this lifesaving service.”

As part of the contract, Shell will also join the new SAR consortium formed by Bristow, which aims to provide unrivaled service and lifesaving capability to members while simultaneously reducing overall costs associated with SAR.

Bristow will deploy a dedicated state-of-the-art Sikorsky S-92 and a Leonardo AW139 to provide SAR response services. An advanced dispatch system staffed by registered EMTs will provide pre-arrival medical instructions over the phone and efficiently prioritize and manage response efforts in the event that multiple, simultaneous call-outs are received.

Bristow will operate the new service from its standalone SAR facility at the South Lafourche Airport in Galliano, Louisiana.