Officials celebrate the groundbreaking for the helicopter pad built for Margaretville Hospital. From left to right, Margaretville Mayor John Hubbell, Middletown Supervisor Glen Faulkner, Congressman Josh Reilly, WMCHealth Network President and CEO Dr. David Lubarsky, WMCHealth Northern Region Executive Director Elissa Chessari, Margaretville Hospital Board Chair Emilie Adams, and Margaretville Hospital Executive Director Michael Hochman.
The helicopter pad is slated to be constructed alongside the hill pictured here, just outside the front doors of Margaretville Hospital.
Congressman Josh Reilly (left) and WMCHealth Network President and CEO Dr. David Lubarsky (right) engage in a serious discussion about the benefits of a helicopter pad on-site versus one located elsewhere.
Margaretville Fire Chief and Middletown Councilmember Nelson Delameter (right) attended the groundbreaking event in support of the project. The fire department assists in clearing landing zones for the hospital as they currently transport and receive patients via helicopter from off-site locations. Next to Delameter is Middletown Town Clerk and Margaretville Trustee Sarah Hubbell (left).
By Mary A. Crisafulli
MARGARETVILLE - Margaretville Hospital hosted a groundbreaking event on Oct. 6th for the helipad construction project. The helicopter pad will be constructed alongside the hill directly in front of the hospital's main entrance, a space that seems to have no other good use.
The project is expected to cut patient transportation time in half, said Dr. David Lubarsky, President and CEO of Westchester Medical Center Health Network (WMCHealth). "This community deserves what it is about to get," said Dr. Lubarsky, which is what everyone should have access to, even in rural communities. "Moments matter, when you're bleeding, moments matter, when you're having a stroke, moments matter, when you're having an MI [heart attack], moments matter," he said.
Welcoming guests was Margaretville Hospital Board Chair Emilie Adams. "Today is a big day for us," she said, "It represents the power of community coming together to do something bigger than we thought we could do."
The project came to fruition through annual art actions held over the course of five years. The idea came from former board member James Howie.
"Every minute counts when you are in a health crisis, and this is going to make a big difference in terms of accessibility and survival within a bigger network," Adams emphasized.
To transport a person via helicopter, the staff needed to contact the local fire department to secure a landing zone off-site. Then the patient would be loaded into an ambulance and moved to the helicopter location.
"For our team here at Margaretville Hospital, this heliport is transformational," said WMCHealth Northern Region Executive Director Elissa Chessari, "It means patients in need of higher-level care no longer face delays being shuttled by an ambulance to a temporary landing sight."
The project will help preserve first responder resources and enable patients to receive critical care faster, when seconds matter, she said.
"I am so proud of you guys for doing this...," said Congressman Josh Reilly. "Out here in the catskills when someone has a medical emergency every minute, every second really matters, " he said, "Folks shouldn't have to wonder if help is going to get there in time and that they will get the help they need just because they live in a rural zip code."
Margaretville Mayor John Hubbell and Middletown Supervisor Glen Faulkner also attended the event in support of the helipad.
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