10-09-00 Council Meeting Minutes

Home Browse Search

REGULAR MEETING OCTOBER 9,200 someone present this evening is going to have trauma and they will be glad that Memorial Hospital got the helicopter. Mr. Mark Catanzarite,1322 East LaSalle Avenue, South Bend, Indiana, stated that he is a firefighter and a paramedic and has been part of the Emergency Medical Services system in this community for over twenty (20) years. He stated that because of his career he knows first hand of individuals who could have used helicopter transport service. Mr. Catanzarite stated that he can sympathize with the residents of Park Avenue but this service will not be operating twenty -four (24) hours a day seven (7) days a week. This is a lifesaving service and he urged the Council to carefully deliberate tonight. As a paramedic and a firefighter this service is something they have been looking for in this community for many years. The following individuals spoke in opposition to this Resolution: Mr. Colin Hodson, 807 Ashland Avenue, South Bend, Indiana, stated that he wanted to review the proposed site for the helicopter. Mr. Hodson stated that the criteria the hospital listed were safety, access to the patients, helicopter time, proximity to the trauma center, elevator access, FAA flight paths and structural loading. The sites that the hospital said they could not use were the Bartlett Street garage and the ground sites. He noted that the hospital stated that in regards to the 73 Building patient tower there were too many things that would have to be removed and the building would have to be re- enforced and that the elevators were not big enough. He stated that if the hospital is going to trade -off the safety of the people in the neighborhood for the location maybe it would make sense to come up with a compromise and take the obstacles off the roof and make the elevators bigger so that the people in the neighborhood could stay there. He stated that he did not think it was unreasonable to ask Memorial to make some kind of concession. He further stated that the hospital stated that they do have alternatives. The one alternative, the Centennial Building, could be modified but would disrupt the doctors that are in that building. Mr- * Hodson stated that as a resident of the area his life will be disrupted day in and day out and not just for nine (9) months. He noted that the hospital stated they had a problem with transporting patients thru the hospital past other patients and visitors when in fact it is possible to designate and dedicate passageways specifically for these trauma patients. However, the hospital has chosen not to do that. He also noted that he found it unusual that the hospital built a garage with elevators big enough to accommodate a trauma patient. Mr. Hodson also spoke about the flight paths and what the hospital indicated as primary and secondary paths. The most likely path the hospital will use is the one that goes right by Madison School. He noted that the residents of the area are not opposed to helicopter service but does have a problem with the location. The residents would like to have known about the hospital's plans in advance so these concerns could be worked out before this time. Memorial Hospital has chosen the most convenient spot for Memorial without any regard to the convenience, lives and peace and safety of the neighborhood. The location they have chosen poses a threat to the lives of the people in the flight path and especially those close to the landing area. He stated that the helicopter pad is going to be a blight on this neighborhood and the Council can expect to see the neighborhood collapse. He stated that he has a lot of information about noise which he does not have adequate time to present which he will present in written form. He concluded by stating that he wants to go on record as saying that the residents have not been given enough time to present the information that they have prepared and he feels like the Council will not get the entire picture because they are not being allowed time to get that information across. Mr. Tim Scott, 711 Forest Avenue, South Bend, Indiana, submitted to the Council an FAA report and accident reports concerning EMS helicopters. He stated that he is in support of the hospital providing air ambulance service but from a safety concern he feels the location of the airport one hundred (100) feet from houses on Lafayette compromises the safety and quality of life for the neighborhood and citizens of the community. A safer location needs to be considered and approval of this request gives a dated aircraft permission to land in their neighborhood. Mr. Scott gave statistics about the Bell 222A and informed the Council that he asked that Air Angels provide air records of their aircraft in South Bend and that their records be opened to the public. He inquired why Air Angels was selected and asked the Council to deny this request. Ms. Veronica Towne, 328 West Marion Street, South Bend, Indiana, stated that she has lived in her house which was built in 1872, for the past ten (10) years. She noted that she was fully aware of 1 1