The Coast Guard's elite rescue training

The Coast Guard's elite rescue training

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U.S. Coast Guard
Apr 10, 2026

Being people’s light on their darkness day. That’s the Advanced Helicopter Rescue School’s value to the Coast Guard and the American people.

Located in Astoria, Oregon, just near the mouth of the Columbia River where conditions include towering surf, high winds, rugged cliffs, and sea caves that earn the region its name: the “Graveyard of the Pacific.” AHRS is where our search-and-rescue personnel train in the most demanding conditions in the world. For 30 years, AHRS has prepared Coast Guard rescue swimmers, pilots, and flight mechanics to rescue stranded people in any condition, at any time. This tough, realistic training has allowed the Coast Guard to fulfill its most sacred trust with American by saving more than 5,200 lives each year.

Whether it’s a stranded hiker on a cliff, a mariner swept into heavy surf, or children trapped by rising floodwaters, the training in Astoria ensures our crews can launch into chaos and bring people home when they need us most, and helping to secure our foothold as America’s first and preeminent first responders.

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