STATE POLICE HELICOPTER BASE TO MOVE FROM CENTREVILLE TO EASTON

(Easton, MD) – Citing an increase in safety as the number one reason, officials at the Maryland State Police today announced the helicopter based in Centreville will be moving to a hangar at the Easton Airport.

With a call-sign of “Trooper 6,” the Maryland State Police medevac helicopter assigned to the Upper Shore will now be based in a hangar at the Easton Airport. The helicopter has been housed in a hangar beside the Centreville Barracks on Rt. 301 in Queen Anne’s County since 1985. The move is expected to be completed by December 2009.

“Since 1985, we have had great relationships with and cooperation from fire and EMS personnel, as well as elected officials in Queen Anne’s County and I appreciate all they have done to support us,” Colonel Terrence B. Sheridan, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police said. “This move is being made only in the interest of safety. The Easton hangar provides a location and airport support that will greatly increase the safety of our helicopter crews as they initiate and return from their lifesaving missions on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.”

“The Maryland State Police Aviation Command is an essential component of the Statewide Trauma and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) system,” said Robert R. Bass, M.D., Executive Director of the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems (MIEMSS). “MIEMSS supports the Aviation Command’s efforts to ensure that the MSP medevac operations are conducted in the safest and most effective manner possible.”

The Maryland State Police helicopter will be housed in a hangar at the Easton Airport previously used by the Natural Resources Police. That department is no longer in need of the hangar and it was made available to the Maryland State Police Aviation Command.

All six of the other active State Police hangars are located at airports. The Easton Airport facility has several runways that could be used for emergency landings if needed and has airport tower controllers on duty 16 hours each day. The airport has a precision guidance instrument landing system and will soon have radar for air traffic control. None of these safety features are available at the Centreville hangar.

The Easton hangar is less than 14 nautical miles south of the former Centreville hangar, which is a helicopter flight time of six minutes and ten seconds. Major A.J. McAndrew, Commander of the Aviation Command, is assuring residents on the Upper Shore that they will continue to receive outstanding helicopter coverage.

“Relocating Trooper 6 to the Easton Airport will significantly increase the safety of our operations without negatively impacting the services we provide to the citizens of the Upper Shore,” Major McAndrew said. “Trooper 6 will continue to have a prompt response to calls for service on the Upper Shore and will be supported by Trooper 1 in Baltimore and Trooper 4 in Salisbury.”

The move of the hangar for Trooper 6 has been supported by the Maryland State Firemen’s Association and the State EMS Board. The Maryland State Police Aviation Command works closely with the members of these organizations as part of the state’s world renowned integrated emergency medical services system.