OCEANPORT- The heliport atMonmouth Park racetrack may be reopened for year-round service following a request made by Long Branch officials.
At last week’s Borough Council meeting, OceanportMayorMichaelMahon presented the e-mailed request, which came from Long Branch City Administrator Howard H. Woolley.
“Here’s the issue,” Mahon told council members Jan 17. “Would we oppose the temporary use of the Monmouth Park helistop site for emergency medical transport pending the completion of the approved site in Long Branch?”
The helistop in question is located in the northwest corner of the Monmouth Park parking lot near the area used for the Oceanport Lion’s Club Fair, according to Mahon. It was formerly surrounded by a split rail fence, which was removed to allow additional parking for the Breeders’ Cup.
“The Monmouth Park site is presently limited to flights during racing season and would need some modification to its permit allowing flights year-round,” Mahon said.
Mahon outlined the specifics of Long Branch’s request for the council:
“Mr. Woolley indicated that a temporary site for emergency medical transport of helicopters was needed for Monmouth Medical Center and patients, mostly children, that require emergency specialty care at other hospital sites.”
The patient transfers occur at the rate of 24 to 36 per year and can happen at any hour and with limited notice, according to Woolley
“Long Branch has two sites for this purpose,” Woolley wrote. “One is at the high school, but [it] is not available due to construction. The alternate site is on Atlantic Avenue at Troutman’s Creek near Florence Avenue. The license for this site has expired, and due to its residential location, the renewal has met with opposition from neighbors. The city of Long Branch is seeking an alternate location for these medical ports on behalf of Monmouth Medical Center.”
“Essentially, this is a temporary measure,” Mahon said. “The time frame that’s considered is between now and September when [Long Branch] envisions these fields at Long Branch High School being ready.”
Regarding the ability of the borough police and fire departments to meet the demands placed upon them by participating in calls of this nature, Mahon said that they were “ready, willing and able.”
“Our fire department is equipped with portable lighting that meets the requirements,” Mahon said. He went on to say that the police would be prepared to secure and clear the area prior to the helicopter arrival.
“It becomes a matter of public concern,” Mahon said, “the impact on our residents and the fact that we haven’t had an opportunity to reach out to the neighborhoods that would be affected yet.”
A few residents commented on the proposed helistop at the meeting. One concern was whether there would be lights and sirens during the dispatched flights.
Mahon answered based on personal experience as a fire chief in Long Branch, stating that it would not likely be the case.
“It shouldn’t be something that’s a lights and siren Code 3 situation,” Mahon said. “But it is typically escorted and the idea is to get them there as quickly and safely as possible.”
Another concern was how much traffic the helistop would involve.
Mahon responded by saying that “the difference between a heliport and a helistop is akin to a bus terminal and a bus stop.”
“The problem becomes that unlike the commuter flight, the medical flights would occur at any hour on any day of the week. But it wouldn’t happen with any frequency. We might see two or three in one week and not see any for the next three or four.”
“It is not medevac transport,” Mahon said. “They are air ambulance transports. The difference is that they are existing patients within Monmouth Medical Center that are outbound to other medical facilities that are providing specialty services for these patients.”
Deborah Sharkey of River Street offered personal experience of living near a heliport site at the meeting.
“I live near that landing area and they come in a couple times at night. I hear them, but it’s not that bad. They come in the helicopter and they circle around twice, land,” Sharkey said. “They’re in and out in about 20 minutes. It’s not bad at all, there’s no lights, it’s not that much noise at all. I mean basically they’re transporting newborn babies.”
“To the extent that we can participate and be of assistance to these people that would need the air ambulance services, I’m going to ask the council to consider it,” Mahon said. “Then we will approach our residents for their concerns and see what it is that we can do.
“This is something to consider, something we need to react to, probably prior to our next council meeting. I’d like to give Long Branch an answer soon.”
An alternate heliport at the Monmouth Corporate Park in West Long Branch is another option for a temporary medical heliport. However, according to Woolley, residents near the property have opposed the commuter flights that operated from that facility in the past. Mahon mentioned that another location was possible in Wolf Hill Park, also in Oceanport.