NEWS

JANUARY 2010                             

HOSPITAL HELIPAD IMPROVEMENTS

EXTENSIVE IMPROVEMENTS ARE GOING ON AT THE LIBERTY DAYTON REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER HELIPAD FOR HELICOPTER EMERGENCY TRANSPORTS FROM THE LOCAL HOSPITAL THE HELIPAD IS ON THE PROPERTY ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE HOSPITAL ON MAGNOLIA STREET.

BACK IN 1980 – NEARLY 30 YEARS AGO THE LIBERTY ROTARY CLUB FUNDED AND CONSTRUCTED THE FIRST HELIPAD EVER BUILT IN LIBERTY COUNTY. THAT END A FEW YEARS OF HELICOPTERS LANDING ON THE GRASSY LOT BY THE HOSPITAL AND PROVIDED FOR THE FIRS TIME ANYWHERE IN LIBERTY COUNTY A CONCRETE LANDING SIGHT WITH PROPER LIGHTING AND A WIND DIRECTION DEVICE TO ALLOW PILOTS A GOOD IDEA OF WIND DIRECTION AND SPEED AS HELICOPTERS APPROACH FOR LANDING AT THE HOSPITAL. THE PERSON WHO CUT THE DEDICATORY RIBBON FOR THAT HISTORICAL EVENT WAS RICKY MEARNS THE FIRST PERSON WHOSE LIFE WAS SAVED BY THE THEN NEW LIFEFLIGHT AIR AMBULANCE SERVICE FROM HOUSTON.. EARLIER MEARNS HAD BEEN CRITICALLY INJURED IN A CAR CRASH AND WAS AIRLIFTED TO HOUSTON WHERE HE UNDERWENT A LONG PERIOD OF RECOVERY. HE WAS SUFFICENTLY RECOVERED IN 1980 TO CUT THE RIBBON ON THE COUNTIES FIRST HELIPAD.. SINCE THEN MORE THAN A DOZEN HAVE BEEN CONSTRUCTED AT HOSPITALS, FIRE DEPARTMENTS AND CITY HALLS AROUND LIBERTY COUNTY AND HELPED SAVE THE LIVES OF MANY. MEANWHILE THE HELIPAD AT WHAT IS NOW THE LIBERTY DAYTON REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER HELIPAD BUILT BY THE LIBERTY ROTARY CLUB HAS NEVER CHANGED. NOW THAT THE HOSPITAL HAS A NEW LEASE ON LIFE A LOCAL BUSINESSMAN, OSCAR COOPER, OF COOPER ELECTRIC IN LIBERTY HAS STEPPED UP TO INSTALL NEW LIGHTING AND A NEW WINDSOCK PLUS REMOVED THE OLD HELICOPTER LANDING MARKINGS FROM THE CONCRETE PAD. AND REPAINTED IT. HE ALSO ADDED A WIDER CONCRETE WALKWAY FROM THE STREET TO THE HELIPAD AND ALTHOUGH MODERN DAY HELICOPTER LANDING PADS ARE LARGER – LIFEFLIGHT OFFICIALS SAID THE ONE AT THE LIBERTY HOSPITAL IS OK AND THE IMPROVEMENTS ARE EXCELLENT. COOPER ELECTRIC DONATED MOST OF THE MATERIALS AND ALL OF THE LABOR. SOME MINOR EXPENSES WE COVERED BY THE HELIPAD’S ORIGINAL BENEFACTOR, THE LIBERTY ROTARY CLUB. THAT EFFORT IS ONGOING NOW AND SHOULD BE COMPLETED SOON.