The Watertown City Council has decided that the Watertown Fire Rescue will have to transport medical emergency patients to and from the Watertown Regional Airport helipad as the helipad at Prairie Lakes Healthcare System has been closed. The helipad is out of commission due to the hospital’s expansion project, which will take roughly 20 months to complete.

The hospital will then pay a fee of $450 for every round trip patient. The Watertown Fire rescue transports approximately 10-20 round trip patients a month, reports The Public Opinion.