After many years of making do with rough ground, sometimes muddy and never adequately lighted, the Southern Oaks Volunteer Fire Department is proud to announce that the FM 416 LANDING ZONE AT NEW HOPE is officially completed.
Many weeks of raising money for the project, creating just the right design and doing the hard, physical work of installation have come together and it’s finally time to say “We’re done!” and “Well done!”
Streetman resident Adam Minze was one of many attendees who expressed their thanks to the community effort that enabled the completion of this much-needed project.
The dedication ceremony was held on Thursday morning, November 11, 2021.
The final cost for the new Landing Zone came to almost $22,000, according to Fire Chief Van Wagnon and Assistant Chief Tom Blake.
SOVFD volunteers did everything on the project except forming and actually pouring the concrete.
The project used over a half mile of electrical wire in four separate conduit trenches.
In addition to the four main green landing lights are 12 sidewalk lights and a lighted windsock.
All lights are controlled from an electrical panel near the patient unloading area.
Use of the land for the emergency medical helicopter landing pad is being provided by New Hope Baptist Church.
Several major donors contributed significant and numerous smaller donations were made by residents from across the area to make this project possible.
(From the Nov. 2021 Issue of The Southsider)
Pictured at Top: Attending the dedication ceremony for the new helicopter pad on FM 416 are Freestone Count officials and members of Southern Oaks Volunteer Fire Department, including (left-right): County Sheriff Jeremy Shipley, SOVFD Fire Caption Ed Fleming, Constable – Pct. 3 Richard L. McGowan, Corsicana Fire Department Interim Chief Wade Gillen, County Clerk Renee Reynolds, SOVFD Assistant Fire Chief Tom Blake, County Commissioner – Pct. 1 Andy Bonner, County Commissioner – Pct. 4 Clyde Ridge, SOVFD Fire Chief Van Wagnon. (Photos by Natalia V. Marsters)
