County inaugurates new helipad in Roans Prairie

BY MARY LOIS BOATMAN, Special to the Examiner

Not since 1903 when the IGN Railroad finished their tracks and began their twice-daily train runs through Roans Prairie has there been this much excitement in the town. All heads were turned skyward and cameras were everywhere Saturday when the PHI helicopter made a picture-perfect landing for the first time on the new helipad on S.H. 30.

The dedication of the life-flight helipad in Roans Prairie June 21 brings a total of three such lifesaving facilities for the north quadrant of the county. Approximately five years ago, after discussion with PHI, local law enforcement and medical personnel, a need for such a facility was determined by Iola residents and Don Brown, a retired paramedic from Herman Memorial Hospital Houston.

Whenever life-flight was needed in the area there was not a safe haven for them to land. Either a highway had to be closed or a field had to be chosen and cattle corralled, thus precious time was lost. Helicopter pilots cannot determine high lines or many other hazards from the air, therefore any unplanned landing in one of these less desirable locations presents danger to the crew as well as the waiting paramedics or fire fighting personnel on the ground. Safety has been the driving force for a tireless group — Constable Dale Schaper, Frank Carelli of Tenaska, Charlie Wendt and Ronnie Floyd, who championed this cause,

The Keith community was the first to receive such a facility through the generous donations of the Alvin and Gertie Keown Foundation, Zion United Methodist Men’s Association, and local residents who donated their labor to see the project through.

The second such facility located in Iola was finished approximately two years later in 2006. This helipad was possible through the underwriting of the McDaniel Foundation and again local labor was donated to finalize the project.

Two more years have passed and the Roans Prairie helipad is finished with the assistance of Tenaska-Frontier Generating Station, donations from local businesses and donated time from concerned residents.

Constable Schaper welcomed the PHI crew — pilot Brian Valet, flight medic Kenn Miller and flight nurse Julie Earbey — as they landed on the new helipad Saturday. Floyd, president of the Roans Prairie Community Center, led the 125-plus people attending in the Pledge of Allegiance and Kathie Neason Wendt of Iola sang the National Anthem. The official signal that the Helipad is open for business — the ribbon cutting — was handled by Earbey.

Wendt, of Iola, was acting master of ceremonies and said that the new helipad is dedicated to public service and to the flight crew of the Air Med 12 helicopter that crashed recently in the Sam Houston National Forest. A moment of silent prayer and a wreath was presented in memory of the crew, pilot Wayne Kirby, paramedic Stephanie Waters and flight nurse Jana Bishop, their families and all the PHI family members.

The helipad has been a long time dream for the community. With the many wrecks in this end of the county, people felt that the area would greatly benefit from having it centrally located in Roans Prairie. Floyd said that all hope had just about been given up, but Schaper kept the vision alive.

The long sought-after project became a reality only with the hard work and help of many people.

Special thanks to Frank Carelli and Tenaska-Frontier Partners, Bobby and Gary Moriarty of Moriarity Brothers Welding, Bobby Lys, Road and Bridge Engineer, Sheriff Donald Sowell’s Diversion Crew, under the direction of Deputy Glen Love, Charlie and Kathy Wendt, Adam Walker, Billy Surface of Surface Dirt Works, Constable Schaper, Ken Reynolds of Shiro Grocery, Commissioner John Bertling of Best Material, Anderson Water, Floyd and his foreman John Love and lastly, but by no means least, all the members of the Shiro Volunteer Fire Department. They were proudly displaying all of their equipment, especially their new truck No. 313, and they even washed off the helipad before the dedication began.