Community Medical Center Helistop

Obsolescence and replacement. The older rooftop helistop (US-0208) was closed because it was replaced by a new, modern, ground-level helipad (FAA LID: NJ15) built on the same hospital campus. The new facility was constructed to meet updated FAA safety regulations, provide safer approach and departure paths, improve patient transfer efficiency from the aircraft to the emergency department, and better accommodate the size and weight of modern medical helicopters.

The site of the former helistop (US-0208) is the physical rooftop of a wing of the Community Medical Center. The helipad markings and aviation-specific equipment have been removed. The area now houses standard building infrastructure, such as HVAC units and roof access points. All helicopter operations for the hospital now exclusively use the new, active ground-level helipad, Community Medical Center Heliport (NJ15), located southwest of the old site, adjacent to the emergency department.

For many years, the Community Medical Center Helistop was a critical piece of infrastructure for the regional emergency medical system in Ocean County. Located on the roof of the hospital, its primary function was to receive patients from medical evacuation (medevac) helicopters. It handled flights from air ambulance services like MONOC (Monmouth Ocean Hospital Service Corporation) and the New Jersey State Police medevac units. The helistop enabled the rapid transport of critically ill and trauma patients to the hospital's specialized care facilities, playing a vital role in the chain of survival for the community.

There are no plans or prospects for reopening the US-0208 helistop. It has been permanently and officially superseded by the modern, safer, and more efficient NJ15 helipad, which fully serves all of the hospital's current and future air ambulance requirements.