KINGFIELD — The weather just won’t cooperate for the first training and LifeFlight landing at Kingfield’s new helipad behind the fire station on School Street.

Heavy rains last Sunday postponed the event that was rescheduled for Jan. 2. But weekend weather forecasts on Thursday led Kingfield Fire Chief Chuck Twitchell to plan a spring celebration.

The new landing space for the medical rescue helicopter was completed last summer, but this would have been the first landing of the helicopter and training for area firefighters, he said.

Poland Spring Water Co.of Kingfield donated a portion of the approximately $15,000 needed for the project. Some funds were also secured from the Tax Increment Financing (TIF) agreement between the town and Poland Spring, he said.

When the Fire Department moved to its new site a few years ago, officials realized what space they had for LifeFlight to land was dirt. Several accident victims have been flown from the site, but whenever the helicopter did land, firetrucks had to spray down the area to try to contain the dust and rocks blown by the propellers, he said.

Twitchell approached Poland Spring for help in creating the helipad. A 40- by 40-foot area was paved and a Waterville company was hired to paint a large red H on the area with glass beaded paint, which illuminates at night. A curb around the area was built to keep vehicles off the helipad, he said.

Twitchell envisions use of the helipad for more than accident victims. In the future, the area will also provide an opportunity for people suffering strokes or other medical emergencies to be flown to hospitals, the nearest being more than 20 miles south in Farmington.

[email protected]