Police helicopters take more heat

Inasmuch as I appreciate the fine job that our Police Department

does, the issue of helicopter noise is one that needs to be addressed

(“Residents seek quiet on Newport front,” July 30). I am awakened

regularly at all hours of the night with the police helicopter

buzzing our house but rarely, if ever, read about any crime in the

area that would justify this type of taxpayer expense and regular

sleep disruption. With the increase in noise from lawnmowers, leaf

blowers, boomboxes, motorcycle mufflers and sirens (read: more

people), we need some time when we can have a little peace and quiet.

I would like to suggest that we use this resource for emergencies

rather than routine patrol.

JILL WATKINS

Corona del Mar

I am very happy to hear the helicopter flying over my house. Every

night, when they are going to land, they fly directly over my roof at

a very low level and it does not bother me or my wife. We feel very

secure knowing they are on the job. If we are asleep, we don’t even

hear them. As far as I’m concerned, resident Rene Jacober has two

options: 1. Get some ear plugs. 2. Move.

JOHN GORDON

Costa Mesa

A friend complained to me that a house on her street is home to

six elderly people, and if there is a medical emergency and 911 is

called not only do the ambulance and firetrucks arrive, but a chopper

circles overhead until the paramedics leave. When this happens in the

middle of the night, there is no sleep for anyone on the street.

Surely some screening could eliminate the use of a chopper in this

kind of incidence.

BETTS HARLEY

Costa Mesa

I am in support of the helicopter program. The reason why is I

represent a group of 30 Costa Mesa radio amateur operator volunteers

that serve the community communications by supplying the city with

hundreds of volunteer hours each month in providing emergency

communications and emergency communications preparedness.

One of the programs that we volunteer for is putting our amateur

television equipment in the helicopter in case of lost children, in

case of fires. This is a volunteer program that the helicopter

program provides for us, and we’re probably the only city in the

state, probably the only city in the country that has amateur radio

television, live television pictures, coming from the helicopter to

hand-radio operators on the ground for safety protection in times of

emergency, as well as our drills. It’s an exciting program.

We support the helicopter program wholeheartedly, and they work

closely with the volunteers.

GORDON WEST

Costa Mesa