STARKVILLE — Aldermen hope to bring new health care resources to the region with a new $1.5 million hangar at the George M. Bryan Airport, though they’ll have to get the funding for it first.
During Tuesday’s board meeting, aldermen approved requests to apply for grants that would bring the hangar into fruition. University of Mississippi Medical Center would use the hangar as a base for an air ambulance covering northeast Mississippi and other health care teams.
“(UMMC) wanted to bring their air ambulance over to Starkville,” said Mayor Lynn Spruill. “It’s obviously going to enhance medical service for us, and if you’re here, then you’re going to be a lot quicker in regards to getting people where they need to go.”
The potential grants include an Appalachian Regional Commission grant for more than $800,000 and a Mississippi Department of Transportation Grant for more than $490,000. The city, county and Mississippi State University also plan to match the grants for a total of about $150,000.
Spruill pointed out that although air ambulances are often used in times of tragedy, there are other benefits to having the system in place locally.
“Sadly, people have to use air ambulances, but it also adds activity to the area, which is important,” said Spruill. “This is a great airport, and it gives (UMMC) an opportunity to operate out of a functional airport that’s not quite as commercially busy as (Golden Triangle Regional) and has better amenities, I would say, than the Columbus airport.”
Air ambulance services will not be all that is housed in the new hangar, though, according to George M. Bryan Airport Director Rodney Lincoln. Lincoln added that alongside the air evacuation team, disaster and emergency relief teams will be stationed in the same hangar. The hangar will be recognized as part of UMMC’s Aircare and Disaster Response Operations.
The new facility will add around 20 highly skilled, trained and paid jobs to the Starkville area, including roles like aircraft mechanics and helicopter pilots.
Disaster relief teams will include natural disaster response units trained to handle natural disaster issues like flooding, tornadoes and potentially icy weather.
“It’s going to make for a faster response,” said Lincoln. “These people that (UMMC) will be bringing in, we don’t have teams like that in place right now…It’s going to be a great benefit for us.”
Lincoln said the team deployed to Starkville would primarily serve the area north of Winston County, but it would probably travel to Winston County if it was deemed necessary or quicker than flying out of Jackson. UMMC plans to have teams working around the clock at the new facility, he said.
Lincoln and Spruill both said they do not believe anything besides UMMC equipment and teams could fit in the hangar. Lincoln stressed how important it was that the helicopter be kept clear of as much commercial airspace as possible, and that the plan for a movable helipad to keep the air ambulance clear of traffic is also included in plans for the hangar.
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