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In ten minutes, residents can get to Allegheny General Hospital, one of the largest and most reputable hospitals in the area. Life Flight, an air evacuation system that utilizes three helicopters to transfer critically ill and injured patients from across the area to the hospital’s emergency room, complements a first-rate trauma unit. Also close by is Allegheny Suburban Hospital in Bellevue. In fact, residents are close to Pittsburgh’s entire medical community, known worldwide for its premiere physicians, facilities and research centers. There are 15 hospitals in the city alone, and none are more than 30 minutes away from Brighton Heights residents.

Fire Safety / Emergency Medical Service

Residents are protected by a paid, full-time team of firefighters at Engine Company No 35 located in the neighborhood on Orchlee Street. Two nearby fire companies provide 24-hour back-up service. The Orchlee Street fire station is also one of the 29 First Responder units located throughout the city. Beyond Fire emergencies, the station is equipped to answer 911 emergency medical calls when needed. While paramedics are on route, these neighborhood firefighters are certified to arrive at the scene and perform basic CPR, first-aid and other procedures in those critical moments before an ambulance arrives. Paramedic Stations No 4 and No 10, which are located in nearby Northside neighborhoods, both serve Brighton Heights. On average, ambulances arrive on the scene within six minutes after a call is placed.

AGH Suburban Campus

     Ten BHCF Board members attended a meeting on April 22 with officials from West Penn Allegheny to hear plans for the future of the Bellevue hospital. Rumors abound about changes that are going to take place soon, so AGH wanted to allay fears that the site will be closed. They have been doing a “Listening Tour” of the affected neighborhoods explaining why changes must be made and promising to maintain that portion of medical service which the local community needs and will support.

     Staff members Debbie Caplan, Dawn Gideon, Peg McCormick Baron, and Kim Sperring talked through a slide presentation outlining the problems facing the facility and the proposed solutions. They explained that the resources committed to the site must match the needs of the community so that the hospital can remain vital and be able to provide care to the local neighborhoods.

     The officials were adamant that The Commitment to the North Boroughs will continue
AGH will not abandon the building
If the Inpatient side closes, an Urgent Care Center will be established. A number of services will remain such as laboratories for testing, doctor’s offices, and Urgent Care Without inpatient beds, there can be no full Emergency Department, but continuing Urgent Care will mean that the first four levels of trauma care could be addressed there, with only the most serious cases needing to go to a full service hospital.

     Board members attending the meeting and speaking to the concerns of Brighton Heights were: Pete & Joan Bellisario, Janice Johns, Tom Kaylor, Cathy Kernan, Donna Kramer, Gert Long, Ray Meyer, Peggy Urzua, and Helen Wehner.