By james art A rescue helicopter used to save the lives of those most in need in Southern California’s High Desert has been grounded indefinitely after it was graffitied by vandals over the weekend, drawing the ire of many in the community.
Authorities say the incident happened early Sunday morning while crews at Hesperia Airport were on vacation. Although it looked clean Monday night, compared to how it looked just hours earlier, officials say they will not be operating until it is further inspected.
Both sides of the helicopter could be seen covered in large graffiti in green, gold, silver and orange, with some of the paint even covering the windows.
“It’s very upsetting to think that they could be so selfish as to destroy property that could save someone’s life,” said Margaret Padilla, who lives in the area.
According to Mercy Air, which operates the helicopter under contract with San Bernardino County, because Hesperia does not have a trauma center, it is the only helicopter in the city. They traditionally use it to transport some of the area’s most seriously injured patients to nearby centers like Loma Linda, which is nearly 40 miles away.
“So I’m sure it’s going to affect anybody that needs emergency help,” said Andrew Padilla, another resident.
The San Bernardino County Fire Department already said wait times for trauma patients will inevitably increase because of the incident, and until it is cleared for takeoff again, first responders will be left to rely on Mercy Air ships coming from elsewhere.
“In order to thoroughly assess and restore the aircraft, we have decommissioned Hesperia Air Medical Base while our local team works diligently to remove the graffiti and inspect for additional damage,” Mercy Air said in a statement. “Meanwhile, we continue to support Hesperia and the surrounding High Desert communities with our three other nearby Mercy Air bases.”
Residents say with so many serious crashes on the roads leading into, through and out of the area, a matter of minutes can literally mean life or death.
“It’s just a shame,” said Cara Lee, who also lives in the affected area. “That shouldn’t even be considered. No one should touch emergency vehicles of any kind. You never know. It’s possible that something seriously bad could happen to them, but since they graffitied the helicopter, now you have to wait.”
Detectives with the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department continue to investigate the case and say the damage is estimated to be in the thousands.
In response to the incident, Hesperia Airport says it will increase security measures.
Nicole Comstock
