Official Opening of Fort Walton Beach Medical Center’s New Rooftop Helipad

WHAT: Fort Walton Beach Medical Center will officially open the new helipad, moved to the rooftop to allow for expansion and growth of the Main ER. 

WHO: Okaloosa Med Flight, Okaloosa County first responder teams, community leaders, and chamber representatives join the leadership team of Fort Walton Beach Medical Center to officially open the new ER helipad.

WHEN: Program starts at 10:00 a.m. on December 11, 2017, followed by a helicopter landing and ribbon cutting and tours of the new helipad. We ask that the media arrive in advance as we have an opportunity for a wonderful photo if positioned in the right place. This positioning would allow the landing of the helicopter to be above and behind the ribbon cutting ceremony providing a great photo op.

WHERE: Fort Walton Beach Medical Center, 1000 Mar Walt Drive, courtyard in front of the hospital, by the flagpole.

WHY: We have been growing at an unprecedented rate over the last four years initiating the need to evaluate our systems and improve our processes in order to provide the best healthcare possible to our community. This planning led to the expansion of our ER, adding two ambulance bays and a level II trauma center, to better facilitate the care of highly critical patients. Once this first expansion was completed, we embarked on enlarging and renovating the entire ER to provide more emergency treatment rooms, an expanded EMS lounge, a dedicated behavioral health assessment unit, and relocation of staff offices.