6B Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2007
ir
Shayla Ashmore
Staff Writer
sashmore@lassennews.com
The Susanville Airport gen-
erates more than $12 million
in economic activity in
Lassen County, according to
conservative figures generat-
ed by Airport Manager Steve
Datema.
"I will guarantee you that
the impact to the community-
is more than $12 million,"
said Airport Commissioner
Dave Reger, who owns the
Mountain Lifeflight air
ambulance service.
"The amount of money I
bring in and spend in this
community We're doing $2-
$3 million a year gross."
Reger said the airport's
impact is probably double the
$12,209,325 Datema calculated
for the PowerPoint presenta-
tion he gave to the Susanville
Airport Commission last
week.
Datema agree(t, adding the
template he used to generate
the amount has been used all
over the country.
However, he used the lowest
multiplier, a factor of three,
in a range of three to seven,
Multipliers measure the
amount of new spending gen-
erated by each dollar when
employees pay rent, buy gro-
ceries and other products and
visiting pilots buy gas, pay for
hotel rooms and buy meals in
Lassen County. The county
Chamber of Commerce uses a
multiplier of seven, Datema
said.
in addition, the figures
were based on 12,500 airport
operations, such ag landings
and takeoffs.
"That (operations) number
was derived in 1998," Datema
told the airport commission
at its Monday, Oct. 29 meet-
ing.
"It's now 2907; I'm sure it's a
much higher number."
Caltrans lists SusanviUe as
a regional airport, among 250
classified for public use in the.
state.
"We are the largest and
most active airport in
Northeastern California as
far as I'm c.oncerned," he
said.
"Alturas, Chester, any of
the rest of them, aren't neaHy
as complete as the Susanvilie
Airport."
The local airport offers
maintenance, training and
fuel, Datema said.
"Most of the other airports
m the region are lacking one
or more of the above," he
said.
Airport business
The Susanville Municipal
Airport is also home to
Reger's emergency air ambu-
lance service, which Datema
said averages 60 flights a
month and cuts in half the
time it takes to get patients to
a trauma center.
"If one life gets saved, it's
well worth having the airport
here and business like that
based here," he said.
The Susanville Airport also
is important to firefighting
efforts.
It has been used as a heli-
copter base many times in the
last two years.
"Anytime there's a fire
within probably 40 miles of
Susanville, we become a place
to base aircraft, base opera-
tions for firefighting exercis-
es," Datema said. "(The
Bureau of Land
Management) has talked
about locating a single-engine
air tanker here at Susanvitle.
They don't need a lot of
infrastructure, but with a lit-
fie bit, it could possibly hap-
pen at some time in the
future."
A fire reconnaissance air-
craft is now based at the
Susanville Airport.
Six, type-one helicopters
were based at the airport for
about 10 days this summer
during the Moonlight Fire.
Medical specialists from
Redding and Reno also fly in
every week, seeing 50-100
patients in Susanville.
"Keep in mind all those
patients would have to either
drive to Redding, or Reno, I
would imagine, to complete
these doctor visits if we did-
n't have an airport here," he
said, adding the patients
would shop out of town
before or after seeing the doc-
tors. ' klso people from sur-
rounding areas come in to see
these specialists, people from
as far away as Alturas, Fall
River, come in to see these
guys that fly into Susanville."
Law enforcement agencies
also use the airport for train-
ing. The California
Department of Corrections
and Rehabilitation uses it for
inmate transfers and district
Lassen County Times, Westwooc~ PinePress
aRorneys, lawyers and offi-
cers from as far away. as Los
Angeles use the airport on
prison business.
In additiOn, United-Parcel
Services delivers and ships
packages to Susanville daily
by air.
Local pilots also volunteer
for angel flights to transport
cancer patients for treatment.
Datema said there was an
angel flight from the airport
the week before the meeting
and virtually every year since
Datemahas been at the air-
port.
It also offers educational
opportunities, with nine stu-
dents currently in flight
school.
"We turn out five or six
pilots every year," Datema
said.
Of the nine open hangar
spaces, one new hangar is
complete, two more are near
hag completion and a fourth is
started.
When all the new hangars
are operational, airport rev-
enue will increase by a little
over $6,000, Datema said.
When improvements are
made to runways or other air-
port facilities, Datema said
grants . from the Federal
Aviation Administration
cover 95 percent of the project
costs.
Caltrans pays 2.5 percent
and the city pays 2.5 percent.
So, for every $100,000 spent,
the city pays $2,500, most of
which Datema said he'd been
able to cover with in-house
work.
On the last project the city
engineers design work quali-
fied as the entire local contri-
bution.
Money for projects is not a
problem, according to
Datema.
The federal government
seems to have a lot of money
to give airports," he said.
"When they know you'll
spend their money, they're
more apt to give it to you If
we have a good project, ff we
have a need for something,
they will fund it."
. Datema said the most press-
ing current needs are new
asphalt on runway 11/29 and
crack sealing on the main
ramp and adjoining taxiways.
in
ville
Sam Williams
News Editor
sw~ liams@iassennews,com
A United States Air Force
veteran with extensive com-
bat experience and ties to
Susanville has retired here
after a distinguished 20-year
career.
Master Sergeant Steven
"Ziggy" Pernot retired
recently after serving as a
flight engineer instructor and
the flight engineer superin-
tendent of his squadron.
During his career, he
earned more than 5,000 flight
hours, including 1,500 combat
hours, on both the C-141 and
C-130 aircraft.
In the wake of 9/11 terror-
lord in the Herat province.
Landing and taking off under
fire multipletimes, he and his
crew were awarded the Air
Medal with Valor for hero-
ism.
Pernot eventually complet-
ed seven tours in Iraq and
Afghanistan ranging between
three to eight months each
before retiring to Susanville.
"I'm more than happy to
retire here," Pernot said.
"This is gorgeous country."
Pernot said he wishes the
media would report the posi-
tive accomplishments made
by the military in the Middle
East.
"The military does many
things that ~re actually very
ist attacks in New York and good, but theV~dori't get
V asbihgton, he" began his reported," Pernot said,
many deployments to Many human itatZihn mis-
Afghanistan and Iraq. sions go unreported or are
On his fourth deployment misunderstood, according to
to the Middle East, his crew Pernot.
flew in Operation Arrow He said a mission to Kenya
the retaking of the Shindand where his unit transferred a
Airport from an Afghani war- refrigerator and supplies to
an orphanage was character-
ized as the UnRed States.
sticking its nose in another
country's business.
S~even Pernot
Flight engineer instructor
and su perintendent
Integrative Counseling
Services, Inc.
Couples Optimum
Adolescents Performance
Adults Consulting
Individuals EAP and
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Rick Riddle, Ph.D. PSY20464
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Photo featured are not actual
clients orarea residents.
Private offices in Susanville
tooth?
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Personal & Comfortable
720 Ash St. Susanville
Ray White D.D.S.
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257-7256
The veteran said he's sad-
dened by some of the bad
news he hears such as the
recent Blackwater shootings
and the prisoner abuse at Abu
Ghraib.
"It's pretty sad," Pernot
said. "Most of the people I
worked with wouldn't do that.
There are a handful of bad
apples, but they're such a
small part of the military.'Not'
even 1 percent of the military
are like that. It puts the mili-
tary m such a bad light, but I
know the military is not that
way.
Pernot', major decorations
include two meritorious ser-
vine medals, nine aw medals
(one with valor), three aerial
achi cdment medals, three
commendation medals, three
achre /ement medals (one
with valor), and the newly
created combat action medal
signifying his direct engage-
ment with the enemy under
fire.
tie grew up as a farm boy in
dairy land Wisconsin.
Demonstrating his desire to
achieve, he earned the rank of
Eagle Scout at the age of 12, a
tie for the youngest ever.
He graduated third in his
class with honors from
Belleville High School and
immediately began his Air
Force career on June 12, 1987.
Upon completing basic
training, he attended aircraft
maintenance school at
Sheppard AFB, Texas and
was stationed at Travis Air
Force Base to begin his
assignment as a C-141 aircraft
mechanic.
In late 1990 he answered the
call and volunteered for
Operation Desert
Shield/Storm and was
deployed to Ramstein,
Germany until June 1991.
In November 1992 he met
Debbie Hill the grand-
daughter of Lawrence
"Hoolie" and Thelma Hill of
Susanville.
They were married on
March 25,1995.
Currently the couple is
remodeling an old family
home in Susanville built by
Thomas Hill in 1914.
Through the 1990s he
deployed for multiple opera-
tions: Restore Hope '92
(Somalia), Support Hope '94
(Rwanda), Vigilant Warrior
'94 (Saudi Arabia) and
Southern Watch '96 (Saudi
Arabia).
During his 1996 tour in
Dhahran, terrorists bombed
the Kobar Towers.
For heroism during and his
actions following the attack,
Pernot was awarded the
Achievement Medal with
Valor.
Additionally t!uring this
pelqod; he was selected to
upgrade as a flight mechanic
on the C-141 and so began his
love of flying.
Being one of only 12 such
mechanics, he completed an
unprecedented number of
missions and in only three
years flew more than %900
hours.
He visited every continent
on the globe except
Antarctica.
Upon the deactivation of
the C-141s at Travis Air Force
Base in 1997, he and Debbie
were stationed,for four years
at the Ramstein Air Base in
Germany.
Working at lhe enroute
squadron, Pernot added to his
C-141 experience with the C-5
and the new C-17 aircraft.
He led his-flight as their
flightline exped te for three
years and was given the posi-
tion of maintenance senior
during his final year.
During his time at
Ramstein, he forward
deployed for Operations Joint
Endeavor '98 (Hungary) and
Allied Force '99 (Bosnia).
Missing the joys of flying
from his flight mechanic
days, Pernot retrained into
the prestigious flight engi-
neer career field.
Following his yearlong
training, he was assigned to
Dyess Air Force Base in
Texas in early 2001 and began
flying on the mighty C-130.
PII N'C3 DE:N"
PREVENT A LITTER
In six years one female dog and her offspring can be the source of
67,000 puppies
In just seven years, one female cat and her young can produce
420,000 kittens
There is theoretically no limit to the number of offspring male dogs
~ and cats can produce " -
The Lassen Humane Society's .Spay/NeuterReimbursement Program
can help Lassen County residents have their pets altered with partial
reimbursement at the following rates:
Dog Spay $40 Neuter $35
Cat Spay $30 Neuter $25
To receive reimbursement, send a copy of the ~,
S/N certificate with a description of the
animal, proof of payment to the veterinarian ~
and a self addressed stamped envelope
$
(MANDATORY) to:
Lassen Humane Society
P.O. Box 1575
Susanviile, California 96130 ~:~!
Low income pet owners may qualify for a special program being administered :f
.~ by the LHS. Call 257-4555 if you need further financial assistance. .~:
