Here’s help for a good night’s rest

I was putting my 3-year-old to sleep Wednesday when the

thud-thud-thud of a helicopter propeller sounded loudly outside our

window.

“Mommy, the police ‘copter,” Donovan said, excited because he is a

little boy and almost all little boys love things that are loud. “I

hear it again.”

Living down the street from the Civic Center, which houses City

Hall, the police station and a fire station, we get our fair share of

fire and police vehicles whizzing by with flashing lights and sirens.

My son is delighted by our location and insists we run to the window

at the first sound of an emergency vehicle.

I, on the other hand, am not as enthusiastic, especially when the

police helicopter is cutting into my valuable beauty sleep. I’ve been

more bothered by the noise in recent months. I don’t know if I’m just

not sleeping as soundly or if the chopper is being used more, but it

wakes me up at least three times a week, sometimes twice in a night.

Now, before you throw me in the same camp as the Committee to

Abolish Helicopter Noise, let me explain. I would never suggest we

get rid of the Airborne Law Enforcement program -- a collaboration

between Newport Beach and Costa Mesa. I think it is a valuable

crime-fighting tool and would gladly trade a little noise for

increased security.

But living so close to the Costa Mesa helipad, I get to hear it

each time it takes off and each time it lands. Helicopters are not

housed at the city’s helipad, but they do stop there five to six

times a day between routine patrol shifts for refueling, said Costa

Mesa Police Capt. Tom Warnack. The last fueling time is sometime

between 11 p.m. and midnight, he said. I not only deal with the noise

if there is an event in my neighborhood, I am guaranteed at least two

fly-bys every night, with one after bedtime. Rather than call for the

program to be grounded, I’ll offer my humble suggestion: (One I

thought of after being awakened by a helicopter last week).

Use government funds to sound-proof the homes within a certain

radius of the heliport.

I have no detailed sound reports to say how large of a radius or

how loud the helicopters actually are; I just have hours of sleepless

nights to prove that helicopter noise is a nuisance for someone like

me, who lives about 200 yards from the heliport.

I would offer that the county sound insulation program be used as

a model.

John Wayne Airport offers double-paned windows, thicker doors and

attic insulation to homes that lie within the “noise contour” area of

the transportation hub. The program is free to the property owner,

provided they sign a waiver not to complain about noise.

Of course, Costa Mesa would not be eligible for Federal Aviation

Administration grants, like JWA, but it might qualify for other law

enforcement grants. On the other hand, I know that the noise from a

helicopter is much quieter than that of a commercial airline jet, and

therefore the “noise contour” area would be much smaller and require

less sound-proofing.

Warnack assured me that the city is very sensitive to residents’

needs for peace and quiet and takes every precaution available. For

example, helicopters fly over the fairgrounds during their descent to

the police station to avoid nearby homes in College Park and forego a

final refueling after the last shift, which ends at 3 a.m., because

they don’t want to wake residents. Helicopters are also equipped with

new rotors designed to reduce noise levels.

“We are doing everything we can to mitigate the noise, but we are

also doing everything we can to fight crime in the city,” Warnack

said.

Like I said before, if given the option, I would choose additional

police protection in a heartbeat. While I have to endure the late

night sirens and choppers, I also get the added comfort that

emergency services are less than a block away if I ever need them.

I’m just offering my sound-proofing suggestion because I would

like to be a secure and well-rested Costa Mesa resident.

* LOLITA HARPER covers Costa Mesa. She may be reached at (949)

574-4275 or by e-mail at lolita.harper@latimes.com.