Patients with serious medical emergencies are now again able to get transported from Selma Community Hospital by helicopter to other regional hospitals. "We're very happy to have the service back," said Christine Pickering, spokeswoman for Selma Community Hospital. According to Pickering, helicopter transport service was reinstated Oct. 1. This was two days after a SkyLife emergency helicopter completed a test run of a new temporary helicopter landing site that lies east of the hospital. The old landing site was near the front of the hospital.

Because of this, people suffering serious medical emergencies will now again be able to be transported to regional hospitals in places like San Francisco or Bakersfield in order to undergo life saving medical procedures.

There have been two transports since flights were resumed, Pickering said.

The service was halted back on Aug. 11, when Selma Community Hospital stopped transports after it was told by the California Department of Transportation's Division of Aeronautics that the hospital's landing site was illegal. This stemmed from an inquiry to the Federal Aviation Administration, which was then passed on to the transportation department.

Since that time, city and hospital leaders have taken steps to resolve the matter.

A few of these steps included having Selma's fire and police chief's designate a spot at the hospital as an emergency services landing site. This designation took the form of a letter that was sent up to the state. Another step included an agreement between the city and hospital which protects the city from liability resulting from the use of the helicopters.

Still, this landing site is temporary and the hospital is only authorized to have up to six transports per month. However, hospital officials have said the service had only been used 15 times in 2008 before service was halted in August.

Plans for a permanent site, known as a heliport, will be integrated into the hospital's plans for future expansion.

At this point, Pickering with the hospital as well as Selma City Manager D-B Heusser said they're pleased the issue has been resolved and that transports have resumed.

"I'm just glad we got it over with, and everybody worked well together," Heusser said.