With the British Royal Navy for nearly two decades, Chris Sharpe was able to tap into his considerable expertise as a combat flight paramedic and search-and-rescue crewman as he expanded air medical services in Guatemala to include licensed advanced cardiac life support. The HeliSOS project manager for Guatemala and HAI’s selection as the 2019 recipient of its BLR Aerospace Excellence in Safety Award, Sharpe helped develop safety standards that are in place with the operation now and have been presented to Guatemalan authorities. And, he is continuing to use those skills as he works to train pilots and build enthusiasm for the future generation.
HAI will present the BLR Aerospace Excellence in Safety during its Salute to Excellence awards program on March 6. The Excellence in Safety award recognizes “outstanding contributions in the promotion of safety and safety awareness throughout the international helicopter community.”
Throughout his nearly 30-year military and civilian career, Sharpe has accrued 15,000 flight hours and conducted 6,000 rescues. The UK native spent 18 years in Royal Navy before moving into the civilian side in 2010.
His work extended to Guatemala in early 2015 when he took the roles of chief aircrewman, search-and-rescue specialist, and flight paramedic for helicopter operator HelicĂłpteros de Guatemala and medical and emergency transport services provider SOS Servicios MĂ©dicos. The two companies jointly created the HeliSOS project, a licensed and accredited helicopter air ambulance and rescue service. Under Sharpe, HeliSOS's helicopter became the first fully licensed advanced cardiac life-support air ambulance in Guatemala.
He gives his time, and often his own money, to train and educate others, developing aircrew survival courses for the anti-narcotics and anti-terrorist units of the Guatemalan Air Force. Sharpe also looked to the future generation, introducing a helicopter air ambulance to the Guatemala City pre-K through 12 school Colegio Maya.
Helping to support HeliSOS, Sharpe donates profits from his venture, Black Wolf Helicopter Special Operations, which provides training and operational support to government and military helicopter special ops units, as well as charter and adventure flights.
“Chris does not teach with an air of superiority but with a spirit of collaboration and sharing,” his nomination said. “His commitment to raising industry standards for safety, training, and patient care is above and beyond an employer mandate. It demonstrates a personal passion worthy of recognition.”
