Officials and advocates on Oregon's central coast are fighting a Coast Guard plan to remove a rescue helicopter from Newport. The Coast Guard announced plans recently to close the helicopter rescue station at the end of November, as a budget-cutting measure.
Lincoln County commissioners approved a resolution Wednesday, calling on the Coast Guard to reverse the decision.
Defenders of the helicopter station, like Ginny Goblirsch with Newport Fishermen's Wives, say it has saved many lives.
"I will guarantee that if they close this station - it will be re-opened again, because somebody else died. Unfortunately," Goblirsch said. " This is a no-brainer."
The next-closest helicopter to the central coast is about 100 miles to the south, in North Bend.
The Democrats in Oregon's congressional delegation have signed a letter to the Coast Guard, asking officials to reconsider.
Copyright 2014 Oregon Public Broadcasting
