Calstar had planned to open a permanent Hollister operation this
month but now expects to push off that official start date until
the summer due to the poor economy and fewer people driving, which
has led to a drop in accident volume and revenue for the nonprofit,
its regional director told the Free Lance.
HOLLISTER
Calstar had planned to open a permanent Hollister operation this month but now expects to push off that official start date until the summer due to the poor economy and fewer people driving, which has led to a drop in accident volume and revenue for the nonprofit, its regional director told the Free Lance.
The emergency responder that airlifts patients from accidents and area hospitals has outfitted its future operation at the Hollister Municipal Airport by placing a modular building and helipad at a location opposite from the facility’s hangars and offices and out of Cal Fire’s flight path.
Once opened, Hollister’s Calstar operation would be the 11th permanent facility run by the 5013b nonprofit serving Northern California and the Central Coast. The closest operations are in Gilroy and Salinas, and a primary reason the nonprofit chose the airport for a new base is because – with Hollister’s close proximity – its crew can serve to “mutually support” those two locations, the busiest in all of Calstar’s coverage area, said Michael Baulch, Calstar’s regional director.
The planned opening here for this month, however, will not take place until June or July because the ailing economy has led to a drop in donations and the number of people who need emergency help, Baulch said.
Companies that donated in the past have fewer dollars to give these days, while fewer people are driving and taking part in recreational activities, he said, noting how it has prompted a decline in accidents.
“It’s really a good thing. Obviously, fewer people are driving,” Baulch said. “Right now, the biggest variable we see is in the economy where people just aren’t driving as often as they would.”
Baulch, however, stressed how Calstar is “very committed to making sure we have an aircraft there.” He also pointed out that Calstar does use the Hollister base now on occasion. Crews are using it as a launch point for transports from the hospital until the new emergency room is finished later this year. Baulch also noted how crews from Gilroy and Salinas can “relocate” to Hollister when weather conditions are poor for landing.
Look to the Free Lance on Tuesday for an expanded story.
