The Waitaki District Council will decide at next week’s council meeting whether to approve leasing part of the Kurow Recreation Reserve to the Kurow Medical Centre for use as an emergency helipad.
Kurow Volunteer Fire Brigade chief John Sturgeon said the helipad would be a great asset for the town, local emergency services, and lessen the trauma for patients who might otherwise have to deal with added stress during their journey to obtain emergency help.
He said right now patients were handled more than they should be, as they were lifted from a stretcher into a vehicle and then taken to the nearby rugby grounds where they were handled again and put into a rescue helicopter for transport.
"The transporting side of the job can be quite traumatic for a patient.
"This is a huge plus."
At night the brigade was turned out to set up lights at the rugby field so the helicopter could land and take off safely, but with a helipad being constructed that would mean a reduction in late night calls to his volunteers as well.
In a report to council on the helipad the report writer said the emergency helicopter transferred patients from Kurow up to nine times a year.
The proposed location was near the Kurow Medical Centre and the ambulance station, but about 20m from a proposed community bike and skate area.
However, the writer pointed out, there were no alternative sites were available.
Council had also not received an assessment of compliance with Civil Aviation Act requirements, but compliance with the Act would be a lease condition and would need to be established before resource consent and a lease could be issued.
