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Several people are responsible for making this facility come into existence, and they all deserve recognition. The primary drivers were Walt Hoefler and Bill Albanese. Walt is the property owner. He generously donated the land for the helipatio as well as the surveys to make sure the result was not on the CalTrans right-of-way for highway 17. He's worked on this project for a long time. Bill is the owner of Central Concrete in San Jose. He donated the materials and labor to make the pad itself a reality. Others who pitched in include Russ Patten, the caretaker of the property, and who coordinated with CAL FIRE, CalTrans, Walt, and others to keep things moving, and Ryan Hinshaw, who leveled and graded the entire area the pad is on. In addition, CalTrans donated the rock used around the pad itself.
All the emergency services that will use this facility - CAL FIRE, CHP, the Loma Prieta Volunteers, Santa Cruz County Fire, Santa Clara County Fire, AMR, CALSTAR, and Stanford Life Flight - thank Walt, Bill, Russ, and Ryan for their generosity and hard work, and we greatly appreciate their help in making our jobs safer and easier.
As you can guess, a lot of time and effort goes into making a project like this happen, but perhaps the most important motivator can be seen on a plaque set into the pad itself. It reads:
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This life preserving facility is dedicated to the memory of Daniel C. Albanese 1965 - 2006 His love of the wildlife and the mountains will always be remembered. November 2006 |
With that in mind, thanks again. The community here in the Santa Cruz Mountains is a better place as a direct result of your efforts.