NEWS

JANUARY 2010                             

HELIPAD UPGRADE

THE FIRST HELICOPTER LANDING PAD IN LIBERTY COUNTY WAS AT THE HOSPITAL IN LIBERTY ON MAGNOLIA STREET. PRIOR TO THAT THE INFANT AMBULANCE TRANSPORT SYSTEM WAS LANDING STREETS AND LAWNS AROUND THE COUNTY – THEN NEARLY 30-YEARS AGO IN AUGUST OF 1980 THE LIBERTY ROTARY CLUB TOOK ON THE CHALLENGE TO BUILD A FULL SCALE HELIPAD FOR LIFEFLIGHT AND OTHER HELICOPTER MEDICAL SERVICES. IN AUGUST 1980 RICKY MEARNS OF LIBERTY CUT THE RIBBON ON THAT COMPLETED LIGHTED HELIPAD. – MEARNS WAS THE FIRST PERSON HOSPITAL OFFICIALS CONCLUDED WAS SAVED BY A HIGH SPEED TRANSPORT TO A HOUSTON HOSPITAL WITH CRITICAL INJURIES FROM A CAR WRECK. NOW 30 YEARS LATER THE LIGHTING SYSTEM FOR THE HELIPAD AND THE WIND DIRECTION INDICATOR FOR LANDING CHOPPER PILOTS WAS ALL OUTDATED AND IN POOR CONDITION. WHEN ASKED BY HOSPITAL MANTENANCE PERSONNEL THE LIBERTY ROTARY CLUB BEGAN CONTACTING PEOPLE WHO COULD FIX THE LANDING SITE. OSCAR COPPER OF DAYTON AND OWNER OF COOPER ELECTRIC ON HIGHWAY 90 IN LIBERTY TOOK ON THE JOB AND BEGAN ORANIZING THE ENTIRE EFFORT. NEW TECHNOLOGY AMBER LIGHTS AND NEW SIDE WALK FROM THE STREET TO THE LANDING PAD AND NEW LIGHTED WIND DIRECTION INDICATORS WILL ALL BE IN PLACE BEFORE THE WEEK IS OUT. MRL COOPER PAID FOR ALL THE PARTS AND MOSTOF THE WORK. HE GOT A SUB CONTRACOTR MARKER CARPENTER OF KENEFICK TO DO SOME OF THE WORK ABND THE ROTAYR CLUB PAID A TOKEN AMOUNT FOR CONCRETE AND PAINT AND SOME OTHER SUPPLIES. NEW HELIPADS LIKE THE ONE AT THE NEW LIBERTY FIRE STATION ARE BIGGER BUT LIFE FLIGHT OFFICIALS AT MEMORIAL HERMANN HOSPITAL IN HOUSTON SAID THEIR PILOTS HAVE BEEN LANDING SUCCESSFULLY ON THIS SMALLER 1980 PAD A THE LIBERTY HOSPITAL FOR 30 YEA4RS AND DID NOT RECOMMEND EXPANDING ITS SIZE. NEW PAINT NEW LIGHTS . AND NEW WIND DIRECTION EQUIPMENT SHOULD BE COMPETED VERY SOON . INTERIM ADMINISTRATOR FOR THE LIBERTY DAYTON REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER VICKI GATES SAID THE HOSPITAL AND STAFF APPRECIATE THE EFFORTS OF OSCAR COOPER AND HIS COOPER ELECTRIC OF LIBERTY, MARK CARPENTER, AND THE LIBERTY ROTARY CLUB TO MAKE THESE HELIPAD IMPROVEMENTS POSSIBLE. SINCE THE ROTARY CLUB BUILT THE FIRST HELIPAD IN LIBERTY COUNTY BACK IN 1980 SOME 12 TO FIFTEEN MORE HAVE BEEN STRATEGICALLY BUILT AROUND THE COUNTY ADJACENT TO HOSPITALS, FIRE DEPARTMENTS, CITY HALLS, AND CIVIC CENTERS = ANYWHERE WHERE THEY COULD MAKE THE PEOPLE OF THE VARIOUS HELICOPTER AMBULANCE SERVICES WHO USE THEM SAFER IN THE LIFE SAVING WORK THEY DO.