10-09-00 Council Meeting Minutes

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REGULAR MEETING OCTOBER 9.2000 the course of the last eighteen (18) months. He has followed these developments and has heard the testimony of many experts touching every different aspect of this new service and he is completely convinced that this service will make the medical professional people available to South Bend residents available to a wide range of other people as well. He noted that his own father was a victim of trauma and died because it took three (3) hours to get him stabilized and transported to a hospital. He stated that in all the capacities in which he has served this community over the years, he urges the Council and would be grateful for their consideration of this matter for the local community. Mr. Don Niezgodski,1113 North Elliott Street, South Bend, Indiana, advised the Council that many lives would be saved if air ambulance helicopter service were available in South Bend. Mr. Niezgodski told of an accident in which his daughter was involved at the University of Notre Dame in which her arm was torn off. Had it not been for a helicopter being brought in from Fort Wayne to South Bend and then taking her to Indianapolis, his daughter's arm would not have been saved. The accident occurred at 9:30 a.m. and she was in the operating room at 11:30 p.m. in Indianapolis. He noted that he is very much in favor of this helistop and he urged the Council to vote in favor of this Resolution. Ms. Jane Nielson, 1632 North Kenmore, South Bend, Indiana, spoke in favor of the helipad at Memorial Hospital. As her father stated just before, she would not be here today if it was not for the helicopter that flew her from South Bend to Indianapolis and she is very grateful. She stated that she wants to reach out to those people who are opposed to this helistop to please reconsider because it could be anyone's loved one that could be saved. She urged the Council to please vote in favor. Mr. John Wielgos, 3506 Mishawaka Avenue, South Bend, Indiana, advised the Council that he has been involved with many helicopter transports. He sited instances where traffic had to be stopped to transport patients across streets, yet no residents of the surrounding area complained because it was a matter of saving a life. He stated that seconds save lives and he urged the residents of the area to smile every time the helicopter takes off because seconds save lives. Ms. Anne Sullivan, 52855 Azelea Court, South Bend, Indiana, indicated that she represents the South Bend Medical Foundation at 530 North Lafayette Boulevard. She noted that they strongly believe that this community deserves access to the finest health care services available and they support the hospital in bringing helicopter transport to this community. She noted that time is of the essence and it is essential that the helicopter be able to land and take off as close to the hospital as possible. They also believe in being a good neighbor and have been in this community for ninety (90) years. She noted that Memorial Hospital has always been a good neighbor to them but because they are not a residential neighbor they do not have the noise concerns that a residential neighbor would have. In conclusion, she stated that they believe very strongly that this service is vital to the community. Ms. Helen Greenamyer, 202 East Bartlett Street, South Bend, Indiana, told the Council that she is in favor of the helistop because of personal experiences she has had with her parents who have had to use the helicopter out of Fort Wayne. It took fifteen (15) minutes by air when it would have taken over one (1) hour and thirty (30) minutes by ambulance. She urged the Council to vote for this service. Mr. Jack Davis, 13110 11 B Road, Plymouth, Indiana, shared a personal experience with the Council and asked them to view this issue from that point of view. Mr. Davis told of a car train accident that involved his daughter, daughter -in -law and two (2) granddaughters. The daughter -in- law was air lifted to Fort Wayne and the rest of the family were taken to St. Joseph's Hospital in Plymouth. He was then told that his granddaughters would be air lifted to Fort Wayne and that the daughter, who was seven (7) months pregnant would be taken by ambulance to Memorial Hospital in South Bend. He stated that he arrived at the hospital in Fort Wayne about one (1) and one -half (%) hours later and found those family members being taken care of. He called South Bend to find out the status of his daughter and was told that she was still in transport to South Bend. Her baby died on the way to South Bend. He said he has no way of knowing whether his grandson's life could have been saved if an air ambulance would have been available. Mr. Davis told the Council that his family did not have a choice but he asked the Council to make that choice available. He