- February 6, 2026
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office has a new helicopter, purchased in a public-private partnership with Dan Newlin.
Attorney Dan Newlin, not his business, donated $720,000 to the FCSO for the purchase of a $1.42 million helicopter. Sheriff Rick Staly said taxpayer paid $575,000 and money seized from drug dealers contributed another $125,000 to the purchase.
“It's just a great deal all the way around to serve this community and fill in some gaps that FireFlight could not do,” Staly said on the WNZF News Radio Free For All Friday show.
In a press release announcing the purchase, Staly said he had tried to work with the Flagler County Fire Rescue to increase the availability of medevac and law enforcement with FireFlight, but “was not successful.” At Free For All Friday, he said the FCFR are great partners but that FireFlight shuts down after 8 p.m.
“So, if you need a medevac, it's got to come out of St. Augustine or Jacksonville,” Staly said. Now, FCSO will be able to respond.
Newlin also donated additional support equipment valued at $30,000. The helicopter will be stored at the East Flagler Mosquito Control District, the press release said.
“This donation is about giving back to the community and helping law enforcement do their jobs more effectively,” said Dan Newlin. “When I learned about the Sheriff’s Office’s need for a helicopter, I knew it was an opportunity to make a real difference. This aircraft will help save lives, protect families, and keep Flagler County safe for years to come.”
Once the helicopter, a 2018 Bell 505, also known as the Jet Ranger X, is operational, it will have a state-of-the-art FLIR camera system, night-sun spotlight and medevac capabilities.
The aircraft has approximately 535 flight hours and is being retrofitted for public safety missions.
"This is the next step in FCSO providing enhanced core emergency services to our growing community," the press release said.
The helicopter will not just serve as an emergency trauma flight. The helicopter will also support FCSO deputies in the air on police missions, such as search and rescue, tracking fleeing suspects and maritime searches.
On Free For All, Staly said Flagler Estates is a particular problem area for the FCSO. It is a wooded area of the county that is on the border with St. John’s County and “very difficult to get into,” Staly said. Just recently, in December, an 11-year-old boy was held hostage in the Flagler Estates area for three days before the FCSO was able to rescue him during a traffic stop.
Newlin’s helicopter pilot, who is retired now, is serving as a consultant with the FCSO, Staly said on the radio show. But victims flown out with the FCSO helicopter will not receive a bill like they would with the FCFR’s FireFlight.
That is because, Staly said, their helicopter will not have a full, basic life support system on board. Instead the FCSO helicopter will be retrofitted with medevac capability, and they are working with the FCFR to do so, he said.
“One of my commanders called it this way,” Staly said: “‘Lyft in the air.’”
The deputies will not be making the call, though, on when a medevac is required. Instead, he said the paramedics on scene will make the decision if a medevac is necessary.
The medevac capability in particular Staly has dedicated to Jane Gentile-Youd, who died on Jan. 15.
Gentile-Youd, who ran for the Flagler County Commission in 2022, was a fervent proponent of Flagler County having 24-hour medevac capability. She was 100% right that the county needs the 24-hour capability, Staly told Free For All.
“It is truly sad that Jane passed before she could see her vision become a reality,” Staly said in the press release.
