The NSW RFS Rapid Aerial Response Team (RART) programme is unique to New South Wales. It was implemented in response to the Victorian Royal Commission into the Black Saturday bush fires. Through the RART programme, winch helicopters and specially trained firefighters (with Remote Area Firefighting and Helicopter Winch skills) are placed on standby at locations close to remote areas with increased fire dangers.

RART is typically used to control bush fires in a remote area before they have a chance to develop and spread. RARTs may also be assigned to other types of missions for which their expertise is also suitable. Standby locations are decided upon using identified triggers that include; Fire Danger Rating, Keetch-Byram Drought Index, Continuous-Haines, Lightning Activity Level and previous lightning in the past 24 hours.

Several studies have shown that early suppression of fires in remote terrain can be essential to preventing the natural development of large, potentially destructive fires. New South Wales has significant areas of bushland where rapid response to fire suppression operations by vehicle is not possible due to access, topography and/or the distance involved.

The RART Programme offers a new approach to the fighting of fires in remote areas along the eastern parts of the state. RART provides an initial attack platform to these inaccessible, remote fires with a goal of keeping small fires small. The RART is able to provide a timely SITPREP to the requesting District, place firefighters on the ground if conditions are suitable, and provide immediate assistance of a water bucketing helicopter.

In 2012/13 fire season the NSW RFS contracted a Eurocopter AS 365 Dauphine, with a range of 120km in 30 minutes for regional use, and a Bell 212, with a range of 100km in 30 minutes for use in Sydney.