UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Helipad Community Meeting & Test Flight

From UCSF:

UC San Francisco (UCSF) is preparing to open the UCSF Medical Center at Mission Bay on February 1, 2015.

Many of you participated in some of the 60+ planning meetings over the years.  As you may know, UCSF made several design changes and improvements as a result of your helpful input.

UCSF will use a helicopter to accept transfers of critically ill newborns, children and pregnant women from community hospitals to UCSF for the most advanced, lifesaving medical care.   In 2008, UCSF and the community collaborated to develop a Residential Sound Reduction Program (RSRP), which was included in the San Francisco Board of Supervisors’ approval of the helipad.  For neighboring homes that qualify, UCSF will provide homeowners with funding for property improvements to reduce noise levels in sleeping areas (as determined by acoustical engineers and according to RSRP criteria).  More information is available in the RSRP Program Basics at www.ucsf.edu/childrens-helipad

We understand that many of you may have questions about what to expect when the medical center opens with an operational helipad.   We want to ensure that you have accurate information, and we invite you to join us the evening of Tuesday, November 18, 2014 to learn more about this program (please see meeting details below).

Also of note, a “dress rehearsal” for new hospital operations on October 15, 2014 will include helicopter test flights during normal business hours.

UCSF Medical Center at Mission Bay
UCSF’s integrated hospital complex will serve children, women and cancer patients. This 868,000 gross-square-foot, 289-bed hospital complex consists of:
·         UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital San Francisco- A 183-bed hospital with pediatric primary care, advanced specialty care and emergency services;
·         UCSF Bakar Cancer Hospital - A 70-bed hospital for adult cancer patients;
·         UCSF Betty Irene Moore Women’s Hospital  - A women’s hospital for cancer care, women’s specialty and high-risk prenatal services and a 36-bed birth center;
·         Gateway Medical Building for outpatient services including radiation oncology for cancer patients ;
·         Helipad, energy center, vehicle and bicycle parking.

The Need for the Helipad
Helicopter transports to UCSF Mission Bay will be limited to the most critical and life-threatening situations and will require approval of a UCSF physician. Examples of patients who would require helicopter transport include: a child with a serious heart defect who requires immediate surgery to survive; a child with septic shock and organ failure who could die within hours; a pregnant woman with severe preeclampsia threatening her life and the life of her baby.   Helicopters will not be used for trauma scene transport (e.g., victims of a car accident).
This valuable resource, which is standard at many similar hospitals throughout the country, benefits all patients who come to the hospital by attracting and retaining top-notch medical students, residents, physicians and staff.

Key Helipad Facts
UCSF implemented a primary flight path designed for helicopters to approach and depart to and from the east over the water to minimize noise impacts on residences.  There are also pre-designated second and third choice flight paths, as required, for rare situations in which the pilot determines that it is unsafe to follow the primary flight path.  For more information, please see www.ucsf.edu/childrens-helipad.  Hovering is not a part of a routine helipad landing—a marked difference from news and traffic helicopters.

Community Involvement
Since 2001, UCSF has maintained an open dialogue with the community about the new hospitals and has held over 60 community meetings.  Neighbors provided input on topics such as site selection, height/bulk/massing, design, open space, traffic, the 4th Street Public Plaza and the new helipad. This feedback has been extremely valuable in helping shape hospital design and influencing helipad planning and operations.  UCSF moved the proposed location of the helipad as far north as possible, away from the adjacent residential community to the south.  We also placed the elevator shaft to the south of the landing pad to act as a barrier to further reduce noise impacts on these homes. Community involvement details are available at www.ucsf.edu/childrens-helipad  in the 2009 RSRP Community Process Summary.

Approvals
The helipad has met all requirements and obtained many approvals, including:  Federal Aviation Administration (December 2008), UC Office of the President (April 2009), San Francisco Board of Supervisors (July 2009), California Department of Transportation (November 2009 & September 2013).

Community Meeting on UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital San Francisco Helipad
We invite you to hear more about the opening of the new hospitals and the RSRP at our upcoming meeting:

Tuesday, November 18, 2014
6:30 pm
UCSF Mission Bay Campus
Genentech Hall Auditorium
600 – 16th Street (at 4th Street)

The UCSF Mission Bay Campus is accessible using the MUNI T-Third light rail line.  If you must drive, please park at no charge in the 3rd Street  Garage or the surface lot, which can be accessed by taking 16th Street to 4th Street.

UCSF fully ascribes to the Americans with Disabilities Act. If at any time you feel you have a need for accommodation, please contact UCSF Community & Government Relations at 415.476.3206 or www.community@cgr.ucsf.edu  with your suggested accommodation.

For more information, contact Michele Davis tel: 415/476-3024 | fax: 415/476-3541
Email: Michele.Davis@UCSF.edu