At the Feb. 9 regular meeting, Rocky View County (RVC) council approved an annual funding request of $79,000 from the Shock Trauma Air Rescue Society (STARS) air ambulance service.
“It’s always a pleasure to be able to contribute to this outstanding service for our province and our region,” Coun. Greg Boehlke said, before motioning to approve the funding request.
Prior to council’s vote, STARS representative Glenda Farnden presented her yearly update to council about the non-profit society, which has operated in Alberta for more than 35 years and flown more than 45,000 missions. The organization, which has six bases in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, provides 24/7 air ambulance service and carried out almost 3,000 missions in its last fiscal year.
Farnden outlined some of the changes STARS has undergone in the last year, in terms of equipment, and brought up some of the challenges the organization has faced due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Like all organizations, the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted our revenues in all funding areas, including government,” Farnden said. “Last year’s lottery did not sell out, the calendar campaign is down by more than half [and] site registration is considerably less due to the uncertainty of the energy sector.
“With COVID-19 still looming around us, most of STARS’ fundraising events have all been cancelled for the foreseeable future.”
On average, the STARS Air Ambulance service responds to eight missions per day, the majority of which are in Alberta.
STARS also has a local impact, as the society conducted 16 missions in Rocky View County in 2020, according to RVC Fire Chief Randy Smith, and more than 150 since 2015.
The County has a long history of supporting STARS in the county that dates back to 1991, Smith said, and RVC’s decal is even pasted on the side of the organization’s new helicopter.
“The whole STARS air ambulance system really is a well-oiled machine,” he said. “Not only did they fly 16 missions into the county [last year], they’re generally in support of fire and ambulance services when we have a serious medical or traumatic event that happens in our county.
“We’re also very fortunate they provide training to our crews out in the field, and we have radio communications directly with their helicopter, often giving vital information to the paramedics as well as landing information for the STARS helicopter.”
Boehlke’s motion passed unanimously. The funding for the donation will come from RVC Fire Services’ 2021 operating budget, according to Smith.
Scott Strasser, AirdrieToday.com
Follow me on Twitter @scottstrasser19
