Woman says she runs for cover when helicopter takes off from Canberra hospital

Documents show multiple cases of damage or flying debris at the Canberra Hospital helipad in recent years, requiring investigations and repairs. One neighbouring resident says she lives in fear after nearly being hit by a sign swept off the ground by a landing helicopter. Canberra Health Services says it works proactively to respond to all safety and operational concerns. A year since she was nearly hit by a flying road work sign, Grozdana Barisic says being outside in her garden is not the same. The 80-year-old has lived across the road from Canberra Hospital for 22 years. She said she was out in her front yard last June, when the sign whipped through the air, and missed her by around 20 centimetres. She now takes cover when she hears helicopter blades whirring. "I have [the] garage open all the time, so when I'm outside working and I hear a helicopter ... I just go in. So I am undercover in case something is flying, [so it] can't hurt me. "But it's not a good life for me. "I work hard enough to live long enough, and work hard enough to have my peaceful life. But I don't have it." Ms Barisic said due to her age, it was "too late" for her to move house. She contacted the hospital at the time, but said she had not heard back, more than a year since the incident occurred. Freedom of information (FOI) documents outline her report, received by Canberra Health Services in June 2025, with Ms Barisic telling the hospital she had had issues in the past with the helicopter, "but this time she almost was seriously injured". The report listed required actions including a team member to review and investigate the feedback, and for them to contact Ms Barisic to discuss and resolve her concerns. An email response dated June 2026 said the complaint was resolved in June or July 2025. FOI documents show previous debris concerns It is not the only incident involving the helipad at the hospital, with documents released by Canberra Health Services detailing several near misses. In June 2025, a fabric fire hose reel cover came flying off during a take-off, narrowly missing the aircraft's rotors, before falling into an adjacent courtyard. The month before, a 50-centimetre piece of an aerial was dislodged from its bracket during another take-off. In October 2024, a piece of cladding came loose below the helideck, forcing landings and take-offs to be halted while repairs were made. In a statement, a Canberra Health Services spokesperson said proactive steps had been taken to address every issue raised. “We work closely with aeromedical service providers and relevant infrastructure teams to identify and respond to all safety and operational concerns promptly,” the spokesperson said. "CHS takes the safety and security of our helipad seriously."