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STARS provides vital service to rural communities
By Lori Larsen
During a City of Camrose regular council meeting, STARS senior municipal relations liaison Glenda Farnden presented an update on the status and operations of STARS during which time she requested council consider providing funding at a rate of $1 per capita for 2023, 2024 and 2025.
“STARS is fueled by generosity,” began Farnden, noting that previously STARS had a 10 year long term affiliations agreement for 20 per cent government funding from Alberta Health Services which was expired in 2020. “Going forward it has been year to year. During COVID years and last year, early in the spring, they would look at moving to a 50 per cent government funding here in Alberta. This would align with what STARS were already receiving from Saskatchewan governments, and Manitoba governments at an even higher level.”
She said that STARS, at the end of 2022, did receive the top up for 50 per cent of operational costs. “That is approximately $10 million per base, with three bases in Alberta, $30 million. So they did top up to $15 million.”
In speaking of the percentage value of expenditures, Farnden noted that over 80 per cent of all expenditures are aviation and medical related. For the fourth year in a row STARS remains at 12 per cent for base operations and administration expenditures. “It is important to understand that CRA allows charitable entities up to 35 per cent for administration costs. We very much feel, for the fourth year, that we are holding at 12 per cent that we are doing our due diligence.”
In the report Farnden pointed out that over 90 per cent of Alberta, including Camrose, is in regional partnerships of support for STARS, including five new rural municipalities and five new urban municipalities.“These municipalities are either on a per capita rate or a fixed rate.
“STARS is an essential service and part of their emergency protective services.”
STARS currently averages about 10 missions per day across the six bases in three provinces.
Mission statistics within the City of Camrose and Camrose County for 2022 indicated the following:
Near Bashaw-1; near Bawlf-1; Camrose hospital (critical inter-facility transfers)-29; near Camrose (scene calls)-2; near Edberg -0; near Ferintosh-1; near Hay Lakes-1; near Meet- ing Creek-1; near New Norway-0; near Round Hill-0; and near Tofield (within Camrose County)-0, totaling 36. Up to June 15 of this year STARS has served 14 missions.
Since 2018 STARS has served 181 missions within the City of Camrose and Camrose County.
“We do cover a large area and you can also identify that you have a very busy hospital here as well, that we work very closely with.
“On an overall average of the City of Camrose and within Camrose County boundaries, STARS averages about 33 mission per year, served by both Edmonton and Calgary bases.”
Farnden noted that some of the missions served in the City of Camrose and Camrose County could very well be people travelling through the City of Camrose and Camrose County.
On the same note missions served in bordering counties could also be residents from the City of Camrose and Camrose County in those bordering areas.
The STARS Emergency Link Centre receives over 36,000 emergency requests per year, averaging 100 per day.
“We have a brand new fleet of 10, H145 helicopters to service western Canada. It outperforms the previous helicopter in speed, range and fuel efficiency. Pilots say that it has about an extra 30 minutes of flight time.”
Farnden explained that the new H145 helicopters are not only equipped with twin engines (required to land at any helipad) similar to previous models but also feature the enclosed tail.
“It has advanced avionics, auto pilot, auto hover, capacity for two patients and last year we celebrated
20 years of having night vision goggle capability. Fifty per cent of our calls occur at night. Literally tens of thousands of patients’ lives have been saved since 2002 because we are able to fly at night.”
Some of the specialized medical equipment in the helicopters include: handheld i-step Lab (provides tests results in two minutes for hemoglobin, blood gases and electrolytes); handheld T-1 Ventilator for adult, pediatric and neonatal; video laryngosocope (advanced intubation, video screen view of trachea); two units of universal blood; Ezio drill (only used in time sensitive, life threatening cases where immediate IV access in needed); handheld utlrasound (test results for rapid diagnosis and pain management drugs (thrombotics).
“It is very much an airborne intensive care unit. But it is also very important that you have the very highest level of critical care expertise in your crew. STARS is very proud to be world-wide renowned for their critical care expertise.”
In the 20 years of STARS competing in the Air Medical Transport Competition, they have placed top three in the world for all 20 years, winning first place seven times.
“We very much feel we are bringing your residents the highest level of critical care available in Alberta.”
To date STARS has flown more than 55,000 missions. “More importantly, because of partnerships there has been no cost to the patient. A life is saved literally every day, and it is partnerships that have made it possible for almost 40 years (in 2025).”
For more information on STARS visit stars.ca.
