The plans to land the LifeStar air ambulance may be getting a boost from the Effingham Industrial Development Authority.
IDA members agreed in principle to a request for $25,000 as part of the effort needed to bring the LifeStar helicopter and its crew to Effingham on a permanent basis. Effingham County Commissioner Reggie Loper, who along with Jeff Utley has made the pitch to their fellow county commissioners in favor of bringing LifeStar to the county, made the request at the IDA’s monthly meeting Thursday.
“All we want to do is to get the helicopter to come here,” Loper said. “Jeff and myself have been working on it a long time.”
LifeStar is currently based at Travis Field at the Savannah International Airport. But its operators are looking for a home that puts the helicopter in a more central location for its 150-mile radius. LifeStar was based at Memorial Health University Medical Center until about a year ago. It was uprooted when the hospital needed the space the helicopter took up for expansion.
Should the county get LifeStar to set up shop in Effingham, it could mean as many as 20 employees and an additional 12-15 jobs. About 10 LifeStar employees live in Effingham, according to Loper.
“It’s for the residents of Effingham, period,” he said. “This is not for the hospital or Memorial.”
The landing pad for LifeStar will be a 50x50 area adjacent to the Effingham Hospital. Also needed are a shed for maintenance and a trailer to serve as flight crew quarters. The helicopter has a crew of three — pilot, flight nurse and a flight paramedic. A fuel tank also will be needed.
The cost of the project to get LifeStar is around $97,000, and the service will pay monthly rent to the county. The county is expected to be paid back in five years, and the initial arrangement to bring in the LifeStar helicopter and crew will be for five years.
Loper said crews are itching to go, as soon they can come with up a deal.
“As soon as we can, we’ll start clearing the land,” he said.
County commissioners are expected to take up the issue for approval at their meeting Tuesday.
