WHEREAS, the tragedy of September 11, 2001 has renewed debate on how to deal with emergencies in high-rise structures; and

WHEREAS, fire equipment, due to ladder limitations, may only extend to a maximum of eighty feet, and some situations may preclude surface vehicles and personnel, both police and fire, from safely accessing an impacted area; and

WHEREAS, police helicopters are excellent tools for assisting emergency service personnel during high-rise emergencies by safely inserting and extracting law enforcement and fire fighting personnel and equipment on to a structure to deal with the emergency from above; and

WHEREAS, helicopters may allow the occasional evacuation of victims where ground evacuation is not possible; and

WHEREAS, experience in a number of cities has shown that, on occasion, there is a clear and present need to have the capability to provide safe, immediate and effective helicopter support during emergencies in high-rise buildings; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the International Association of Chiefs of Police supports the concept of emergency helicopter landing facilities for high-rise structures. Such facilities would allow for safer operating environments by providing preplanned, cleared landing areas for helicopters that are assisting ground personnel during high-rise emergencies.