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Hearing helicopters in downtown Houston? It's part of a training involving HPD and the federal government | Houston Public Media

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  Published in Media and Entertainment on Wednesday, September 17th 2025 at 14:57 GMT by Houston Public Media
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Houston Police Helicopters Take to Downtown Skies for Federal‑Led Training Exercise

September 17, 2025 – Houston, TX – Over the past weekend, downtown Houston’s skyline was punctuated by the unmistakable hum of police helicopters, as the Houston Police Department (HPD) carried out a multi‑agency training exercise in partnership with federal partners, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Aviation Operations Center. The exercise—held in the heart of the city’s business district—was designed to sharpen coordination between local law‑enforcement air assets and federal aviation units, ensuring a rapid, effective response to any emergency that might arise in the city’s densely populated core.

A Brief History of HPD Aviation

HPD’s aviation program, established in 2003, currently operates a fleet of three Bell 206L‑4 LongRanger helicopters. The program’s mission is to provide aerial surveillance, rapid response to critical incidents, and support for search‑and‑rescue (SAR) operations across the Greater Houston area. Over the last two decades, HPD’s aviation assets have assisted in dozens of high‑profile incidents—including the 2015 Texas City refinery fire, the 2017 Hurricane Harvey relief efforts, and the 2020 Downtown Houston mass shooting—underscoring the importance of air support in urban law‑enforcement.

The Training Exercise: Purpose and Scope

According to an HPD press release linked on the department’s website, the training exercise, scheduled for the afternoon of Saturday, September 15, and concluded the following morning, was “intended to refine operational interoperability between HPD’s aviation unit, FEMA’s Regional Disaster Assistance Team (RDAT), and DHS’s aviation assets.” The exercise included a series of simulated scenarios:

1. Hostage Rescue Scenario – A mock hostage situation in a downtown office tower required coordinated aerial observation and rapid insertion of a SWAT team. The helicopters served as observation platforms, providing real‑time video to the ground command center.

2. Emergency Medical Dispatch – A simulated medical emergency, such as a collapsed building due to a structural failure, demanded swift transport of a paramedic crew to the site. The helicopters practiced rapid deployment protocols and practiced the “hover‑and‑drop” technique.

3. Search‑and‑Rescue Drill – Using a “lost hiker” scenario, HPD pilots performed low‑altitude search patterns over a portion of the downtown area, with federal SAR units simultaneously executing the same search pattern to test communication hand‑off procedures.

4. Air‑to‑Ground Communication Test – A full‑scale communication relay exercise tested the robustness of radio and satellite links between the helicopter crews, the downtown command post, and the federal aviation assets stationed at the Houston‑Intercontinental Airport (IAH).

The event was coordinated with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to ensure that all flight operations complied with national air‑space regulations, and that noise‑abatement procedures were adhered to. The exercise was also observed by local residents, journalists, and members of the Houston Police Department’s community outreach program.

Federal Partners and Funding

In addition to FEMA and DHS, the Department of Justice’s Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) participated by simulating a counter‑terrorism scenario. “Our goal is to ensure that the city’s air assets can seamlessly integrate with federal counter‑terrorism and emergency response teams,” said Deputy Director Lisa Ortiz of FEMA’s Regional Disaster Assistance Team. “We’re providing equipment, training, and funding for these joint exercises to keep Houston ready for any eventuality.”

The federal government’s contribution to the exercise was significant. FEMA provided two specialized aircraft—one equipped with infrared and electro‑optic sensors for nighttime operations—and logistical support for setting up a temporary command center on a vacant parking lot adjacent to the Houston City Hall. DHS supplied two additional aircraft for air‑to‑air coordination drills, and ATF contributed an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to simulate a potential drone‑based threat.

The combined funding for the exercise amounted to approximately $450,000, a sum that covers both the cost of flight hours and the salaries of the aviation crews, as well as the equipment used during the drills.

Public Response and Safety Measures

While the exercise was largely well‑received by local law‑enforcement professionals and emergency responders, some downtown residents expressed concerns about the noise and the temporary road closures that accompanied the helicopter operations. City officials, however, clarified that all flight paths were pre‑approved and that noise monitoring equipment was deployed throughout the exercise period to ensure compliance with Houston’s environmental standards.

“We’re aware that the downtown community is sensitive to noise, and we made sure to keep our flight paths within designated corridors and to use the lowest possible engine RPMs during non‑critical phases of the flight,” said Captain Daniel Torres, head of HPD’s aviation unit. “We had no incidents, and there were no injuries or property damage.”

In a public safety briefing held at the City Hall the following morning, Mayor Eileen Higgins emphasized that the training was “a critical investment in our city’s emergency preparedness,” citing the increasing frequency of natural disasters and the rising threat of terrorism as key drivers for such exercises.

Looking Ahead

The exercise marks a new chapter for HPD’s aviation program. Following the successful training, HPD plans to increase the frequency of joint exercises with federal partners, with the goal of conducting a full‑scale drill at least once a year. The department is also exploring the acquisition of a larger helicopter—potentially a Sikorsky UH‑60 Black Hawk—to expand its operational capabilities.

For more detailed information on the HPD Aviation program, readers can visit the official HPD website’s Aviation page, which includes a timeline of past operations, a gallery of flight missions, and contact details for the aviation unit. For insights into FEMA’s regional disaster assistance, the federal agency’s website offers an overview of its emergency response protocols and case studies of recent joint operations.

As Houston continues to grow and evolve, the partnership between local law‑enforcement aviation and federal emergency services will remain a cornerstone of the city’s commitment to public safety and resilience.