because helicopterscan perform actions that airplanes cannot, they are used for different tasks. Since helicopters can take off without moving forward, they do not need a runway for takeoff. They are used in congested areas where there is no room for airplanes or in isolated areas which do not have airports. Because they can hover, they are used on firefighting missions to drop water on fires. They are used in logging operations to lift trees out of forests. Helicopters are used as air ambulances to airlift patients out of situations which are difficult to reach by conventional ambulances. The police use helicopters to follow suspects on the ground or to search.