PENN STATE
IFEI Harrisburg
18 5 5
Vol. 24 No. 3
Paramedics prepare the Life Lion for it's next mission
Life Lion: Saving time
and saving lives
Jim Donnelly
Capital Times Staff
A technological wonder flies out of
Dauphin County every day.
Life Lion, a medically equipped
helicopter designed to carry ill or injured
persons, is based at Hershey Medical
Center's University Hospital.
This airborne ambulance service has
been credited with saving lives and
easing the discomfort of acutely ill
patients who must be moved.
The service was first conceived of by
the boards of directors of hospitals in an
eight county area of south-central
Pennsylvania. They saw an immediate
need for the fast, reliable transportation
of critically injured accident victims and
patients from other hospitals in need of
specialized care available at University
Hospital.
Because of the lack of funding,
however, the plans were shelved.
In 1985, Penn State stepped into the
picture. Our school saw the needs and
the problems and pledged to underwrite
the project. Planning resumed and
money was allocated.
CAPITAL TIMES
Pennsylvania State University at Harrisburg
In July, 1986, ground crews and
support staff 'were hired. New flight
crews began training to deal with the
unique situations encountered daily in an
aeromedical service.
Life Lion flew its first mission in
December, 1986. Since then, 1500
hours of flight time have been logged,
all without incident.
In the almost three years of
continuous 24 hour service, the number
of missions has steadily risen. The
increase in flights from 530 in 1987 to
nearly 700 already in 1989 demonstrates
the need for this service.
One of the goals of the Life Lion
program is to expand operations. In
fact, this is inevitable.
Samuel Martin, Administrative Co
ordinator of Life Lion feels that the
purchase of another helicopter is
possible. "With the completion of the
seven story addition at University
Hospital, more specialized-care beds will
become available and more patients will
be coming in," he says.
The number of flights is expected to
increase to around 1,000 per year. This
More Life Lion on 2
Two nabbed in
campus thefts
Detrick Stokes
Capital Times Staff
Police arrested two Middletown men
on campus and charged them with theft,
receiving stolen property and underage
drinking.
George P. Metzler and Dennis M.
Boorse, both 20, were arrested at the
scene of the crime on Mars Avenue in
Meade Heights September 26 at
approximately 11 p.m., police said.
According to Chief Charles Aleksy of
Police Services, Metzler and Boorse were
caught burglarizing cars in Meade
Heights.
SGA budget method
questioned by clubs
Mary Lee Schnable
Capital Times Staff
Words flew and tears rolled in
Olmsted 216 recently as the Student
Government Association and its finance
committee fielded questions and
criticisms about its method of handling
student activity funds.
About two dozen people, in addition
to SGA members, attended the Open
Forum on Sept. 18. Prior to the
Forum, clubs on campus had been
notified of the funding they could expect
from the SGA, and in many cases the
requested amounts were drastically cut.
"I can't allot funds that I haven't
received," finance committee member
Carol Kilko said in defending the
committee's newly established policy of
notifying club* of funding only as the
money is received.
"I can't work that way," said Nathan
Lee Gadsden, Capital Times editor. "I
have a whole year of newspapers to plan
for."
Gadsden said that the finance
committee is refusing to do what they
require all the campus clubs to do --
make a budget.
Kilco and committee member Judy
Farina said they were worried about
promising clubs money and then not
receiving as much as they planned for.
As they discussed the budgeting process,
Amy Killeen, of Church Hall, said
her 1980 Volkswagon Rabbit was
burglarized on September 26. Killeen
said thieves broke the vent window on
the driver side and entered her car. She
said two cassette tapes were stolen.
"We think they're involved in thefts
(from) other vehicles," said Aleksy.
"We are going to file more charges."
He said police will continue their
investigation.
Metzler and Boorse were arraigned by
District Justice Robert Yanich and
released on their own recognizance.
The suspects are not affiliated with
Penn State Harrisburg.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled
for later this month.
Argots
they noted that they are not business
majors.
"I can understand that," Gadsden said.
"But making a budget is not the same as
writing a check."
The funds for student activities are
received from University Park and are
allocated by the SGA on the
Crash fatal to
PSH student
John J. Garvey
Capital Times Staff
A Penn State Harrisburg student was
killed October 1 in a one-car accident one
mile north of Saltsburg, Westmoreland
County.
John Kaito, 21, an EET major, was
thrown from the passenger seat when the
car failed to negotiate a turn. According
to state police at Apollo, the car was
traveling west on route 981 when it
struck a tree. Both driver and passenger
were not wearing seatbelts.
Ray Weiple Jr., 20, of Saltsburg,
was the driver of the car. Weiple
suffered minor injuries, police said.
Peg O'Hara, Directer of Student
October 4,1989
More SGA on 3
More Crash on 2