The Taipei City Government’s Department of Health said on Tuesday that it would conduct noise level tests at an emergency helicopter pad located next to Taipei City Hospital’s Zhongxing branch.
Chiu Wen-hsiang (邱文祥), chief of the department, made the remarks in response to questions by Taipei City Councilor Lee Wen-ying (李文英) during a council meeting about the noise situation in the vicinity of the helipad.
FREQUENCY
Lee said he was relaying complaints by the parents of students at Taipei Municipal Zhongxiao Junior High School, which is located near the helipad.
Lee said the parents complained that the noise of helicopters landing and taking off from the pad was disrupting classes at the school and that the frequency of the landings and take-offs had risen in recent months.
Liu Hsiou-wen (劉秀雯), head of the hospital’s Zhongxing branch, said the helipad was built in late 2005 to improve the quality of emergency medical services on the outlying islands.
He said that although the average number of helicopter landings and takeoffs has increased from about 20 in the first year to approximately 30 at present, the hospital has not received any noise complaints from students or faculty at the school, or from residents in the neighborhood.
SOUNDPROOF WINDOWS
Lee suggested that the city’s health department and environmental protection department carry out noise level tests at the site and perhaps install soundproof windows at the school or sound barrier walls — such as those used to shield noise from freeways and expressways — between the school and the helipad.
In response, Chiu said the department would conduct tests at the site and if it was determined that the noise levels exceed acceptable levels, it would take appropriate steps to remedy the situation.
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