Elevated heliport certified for use by the 129th Rescue Wing

  • Published
  • By Capt. Alyson Teeter
  • 129th Rescue Wing Public Affairs
MOFFETT FEDERAL AIRFIELD, Calif. --  While patients, nurses, doctors and construction workers stared in awe, an HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter from the 129th Rescue Wing landed at the Regional Medical Center of San Jose June 9.

This Pave Hawk wasn't landing at the hospital for a rescue mission. It was the unit's maiden landing on a heliport that is the first in the Bay Area to be certified for use by the 129th RQW.

The Regional Medical Center recently completed construction of the large metallic elevated structure. The hospital partnered with the 129th RQW, nonprofit air ambulance CALSTAR and the U.S. Coast Guard to open up the heliport for business.

Community members and hospital staff were invited to take part in the opening festivities and become acquainted with the various rescue aircraft. Aircrew members and pararescuemen answered questions and talked about their search and rescue duties.

In the past, patients rescued by the 129th RQW were transported via ambulance from Moffett Federal Airfield to area hospitals. Landings also occurred on a Stanford University campus soccer field, where ambulances would then transport patients to the Stanford University Medical Center.

Regional's heliport will increase the unit's ability to obtain expeditious care for rescued persons, said Capt. David Weidman, 129th Rescue Squadron HH-60 pilot.

The Regional Medical Center's heliport not only gives the wing an additional conduit for saving lives during typical search and rescue missions, but also for rescues in response to disasters. As an Air National Guard unit, many of the 129th's past missions involved supporting the Governor's office during state emergencies, which included earthquakes, chemical spills, fires and floods.