BHS Relocating Helicopter Landing Zone to Hillcrest Campus of BMC

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Health Systems has announced that the helicopter landing zone for Berkshire Medical Center is being relocated to the Hillcrest Campus of BMC in order to enhance and improve safety for helicopter crews and patients.
 
This change comes with the support of the Pittsfield Police and Fire Departments and local EMS providers. 
 
The move will be effective on Tuesday, Oct. 1. 
 
"This move is necessary so that we can ensure the safety of the patient and helicopter crew and lessen the travel time from Berkshire Medical Center to the landing zone," said Roberta Gale, BHS vice president of community health. "The Hillcrest Campus of BMC provides the hospital with a consistent and safe landing zone that can quickly be staffed by BHS Security. For patients requiring helicopter transport, minutes are critical, and these flights have saved thousands of lives in the Berkshires."
 
BHS worked with first responders, municipal leaders, and air transport providers to explore multiple options, including continued use of Wahconah Park, Reid Middle School and the Pittsfield Municipal Airport, but all had issues with safety, and access and agreed that the Hillcrest Campus of BMC is the best option for these highly vulnerable patients to ensure safe and rapid air transport.
 
The landing zone at the Hillcrest Campus of BMC is located at the rear of the property in a paved area. Critical patients in need of helicopter transport will be stabilized at Berkshire Medical Center, then transported by ambulance to Hillcrest for the helicopter flight to another hospital with higher levels of specialized trauma care.  The impact on the neighborhood surrounding the Hillcrest Campus of BMC is expected to be limited, based on a historical average of about two or three transports per month.

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Truck Crashes Into Pittsfield's Samel's Deli

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

Elm Street will be partially closed as cleanup continues. 

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Wednesday morning was busy for Pittsfield first responders, as a pickup truck crashed into Samel's Deli & Catering and a fire broke out on First Street.

Around 9:45 a.m., the police reported that the street in front of Samel's Deli & Catering would be closed or down to one lane as a result of a two-car collision that sent the truck careening into the deli.

The department posted two photos on Facebook, one depicting the silver truck with New York license plates crashed through the glass of the front entrance and another of a white Honda CR-V with significant damage to the front end.

"A vehicle was coming out of one of the alleyways here and struck this truck, which continued into the building," Police Officer Craig Jones explained when iBerkshires arrived on the scene.

Jones reported that there was one injury but whether it was someone in the vehicles or in the deli. A crossing signal near Samel's front entrance was also taken out by the truck.

Around this time, crews worked to clear debris in front of the restaurant as the truck was towed away. That section of the road reopened around 11 a.m.

The police, firefighters and an ambulance responded to the accident and police intend to release a statement on the incident.

Around 6:15 a.m., the Fire Department reported that it had responded to a possible structure fire at 233-235 First St. Windows on all three floors of the multi-family building are now broken or boarded up and the cause is under investigation by the Fire Investigation Unit and investigators from the State Fire Marshal's Office.

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