‘I never get calls when social services are cut’: Gee calls out Laurelhurst for forcing Seattle Children’s helicopters to land mile away
May 4, 2026, 5:00 AM | Updated: 3:00 pm
Seattle Children’s wants to revisit a decades-old policy that requires some medical helicopters to land at the University of Washington, about a mile away, and transport patients the rest of the way by ambulance, according to KIRO 7. The policy is a concession to noise concerns from the wealthy Laurelhurst neighborhood on Lake Washington.
KIRO host Gee Scott said on “The Gee and Ursula Show” on KIRO Newsradio that the Laurelhurst fight struck a nerve.
“One of the things that really stands out to me is when I see people with a lot of money, or a lot of power, or influence — it’s the things that they fight for and the things that I don’t see them fight for,” he said.
Gee said he wished wealthy people showed the same energy for struggling families as they do for helicopter noise.
“I wish people with a lot of money and influence fought this hard … like I never heard from anybody when SNAP benefits were going away from people,” he said. “I never heard from anybody when people are struggling with child care and struggling, barely being able to stay in their houses. I never get calls from anybody when social services are being cut. My point is, I’m looking forward to whole neighborhoods using their influence on something else instead of, ‘Don’t do that in my neighborhood.’ That’s what stands out to me.”
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Laurelhurst says it’s open to meeting
The debate resurfaced after a person, claiming to be a life flight pilot, posted on X that Sunday morning was only the second time in 50 transports they had been allowed to land at Seattle Children’s, according to KIRO 7.
A Seattle Children’s spokesperson told the media outlet it is looking forward to revisiting the policy with the Laurelhurst community. Meanwhile, Laurelhurst Community Council President Colleen McAleer told KIRO 7 the group is open to meeting.
Watch the full discussion in the video above.
Listen to Gee and Ursula on “The Gee and Ursula Show” weekday mornings from 9 am to 12 pm on KIRO Newsradio.
