News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
The White County Board of Education will allow construction of a new helipad for the Cassville Volunteer Fire Department on school property.
Director of School Kurt Dronebarger said the helipad will be on a few unused acres between Cassville Elementary and Smithville Highway. He said the helipad will provide support to the fire department on a particularly hazardous stretch of the road.
“There’s a lot of roads, side roads, and driveways coming off that road, and unfortunately there’s a lot of accidents on that stretch of road,” Dronebarger said. “So this will give the LifeFlight helicopter a place to land in that vicinity in that Cassville area. A safe place to land and transport patients when needed.”
Dronebarger said the fire department already sits on land owned by the school board and this new helipad would be right across the street from their fire hall.
“It’s convenient to them and it’s land that the school board’s not using right now,” Dronebarger said.
He said the helipad should not have any effect on the nearby elementary school. Dronebarger said the fire department agreed to keep the vacant area maintained and clean while they are using it.
“This is a piece of land that often gets overgrown and it’s been difficult for our crews to stay on top of to keep it mowed, so it’s kind of a win-win for both of us,” Dronebarger said.
Dronebarger said the there is not an official timeline for the construction of the project.
“This was the first step: just to get permission from the school board, and we’re excited to do that,” Dronebarger said.
