By Hilary Kitzman
On a sunny weekend afternoon, community members, first responders, elected officials, and representatives from Air Methods, an air medical service, gathered on Mescalero Avenue near the Cloudcroft Disc Golf Course to celebrate the dedication of Cloudcroft’s new emergency medical helipad, a project that many say will save lives for years to come.
The event was both a celebration and a remembrance.
The Debbi McCurdy Memorial Helipad was formally dedicated in honor of Cloudcroft resident Debbi, whose passion and determination helped drive the project forward before her unexpected passing earlier this year.
Family members joined residents, village leaders, firefighters, and emergency medical personnel as the community came together to honor her legacy and mark a significant advancement in emergency medical services for the mountain.
Fire Chief Erich Wuersching spoke to community members: “Debbi McCurdy is the reason why we are here today.”
“Debbi worked really hard to raise money, as did a lot of people in this village,” said Debbi’s sister Patti Cowsert. “And just everybody worked so hard, and today was just such a happy occasion to see everything come together.”
Why the Helipad Matters
For a mountain community where weather, distance, and terrain can complicate emergency responses, rapid air transport can mean the difference between life and death. The helipad provides a designated landing area for medical helicopters responding to critical emergencies across the Sacramento Mountains.
“It’s a really important staple for you guys up here,” said Devin Vierling, Flight Paramedic with Air Methods, an air medical transport company that works closely with our mountain responders. “We know it’s difficult terrain. Hospital access is very difficult, so we’re here to make sure that we can facilitate that transport and do the best we can with that.”
Local EMT, volunteer with the Cloudcroft VFD, and now Reader contributor Hilary Kitzman is a movie producer. She and her husband Andy moved to Cloudcroft after living in the Dallas/Fort Worth area and spending nearly 20 years working in Hollywood and Los Angeles.
Her recent film, Wild Like Me, features inmates in an Arizona prison who train wild mustangs, finding “purpose and redemption”—a project she edited from Cloudcroft.
Wild Like Me is streaming on Great American Pure Flix and is available through Amazon Prime.
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