WHAT’S NEW, WHAT’S NEXT, WHAT’S UP AT STARS
One year ago, the Shock Trauma Air Rescue Society (STARS) was virtually unknown in Manitoba households. After providing emergency medical evacuations during the floods in 2009 and 2011, the helicopter air ambulance service was asked by the government to stay and continue offering timely care and transport to Manitobans. Soon after, in February 2012, the non-profit celebrated as it signed a 10-year service agreement with the province. Since, STARS has responded to more than 540 medical emergencies in 67 different communities – an average of one mission a day. Betty Lou Rock, vice-president of Manitoba operations, said it’s rewarding to be part of an efficient chain of survival across the province. “We are honoured to be able to offer this service to the residents of Manitoba,” said Rock. “Entering people’s lives in a time of crisis is a huge responsibility and privilege.”
Rock noted that STARS is one link in a complex
“We are lucky to have such great partners in the health-care system and the other emergency responders with whom we work so closely,” she said. “We continue to be humbled by the community support shown to us.”
Between ongoing medical and flight crew training, fundraising and caring for patients, it’s been a busy time at the base. In April, STARS launched 24-hour operations from Winnipeg, allowing crews to respond to emergencies after the sun sets, utilizing night vision goggle technology. In June, STARS launched its inaugural lottery, offering Manitobans a chance to win luxurious prizes - and the knowledge that their support can help save lives for people working, playing and travelling in the province. The STARS lottery is an integral part of fundraising initiatives.
“Every ticket sold can help change someone’s life forever,” said Rock.
From one vision, more than 500 missions
STARS ReAcheS SeveRAl mileSToneS in mAniTobA
IN THIS ISSUE:
TRANSPORT PHYSICIANS BRING
EXPERTISE TO THE SKY
PATIENT STORY:
SHIRLEY RICHARDS
NIGHT VISION GOGGLES
stars.ca
MANITOBA | SUMMER 2013
PLEASE DIREcT cOMMENTS, INqUIRIES AND LETTERS TO:
STARS communications 155A West hangar Road Winnipeg, manitoba R3J 3Z1 204.786.4647
newsletter@stars.ca stars.ca
Please visit stars.Ca for more information about STARS and our activities. For your convenience, online donations to STARS can also be made through our website. Thank you for your interest and support!
STARS, STARS and Design (logo), STARS emergency link centre, STARbeAR, STAR- 1, STAR-2, STAR-3, STAR-4, STAR-5, STARS & SPURS, STARS & SPURS GAlA, STARS & SPURS GAlA and Design, The STARS centre, Red Ring for life, Red Ring for life and Design, ceo Rescue, and ceo Rescue in the Rockies for STARS are registered canadian trademarks owned by Shock Trauma Air Rescue Society. STARS Foundation and STARS canada are registered marks owned by Shock Trauma Air Rescue Society.
The Shock Trauma Air Rescue Service Foundation is a licensed user of STARS, STARbeAR, STARS and Design (logo), STARS & SPURS, STARS & SPURS Gala, STARS & SPURS Gala and Design. STARS Aviation canada inc. is a licensed user of STARS, STAR-1, STAR-2, STAR-3, STAR-4 and STAR-5.
Shock Trauma Air Rescue Society is accredited as a full “critical care Provider” by the commission on Accreditation of medical Transport Systems (cAmTS). When the accreditation was initially awarded in 1998, STARS was the first international air medical program to achieve such distinction.
When you or someone you love is critically ill or injured, time is of the essence. Often, traumatic incidents happen desperately far from a major critical-care centre. Sometimes, as was the case recently when our skilled pilots landed the helicopter on a cliff, geography is a barrier for some emergency response vehicles. Other times, injuries or illnesses happen in lake country, at industrial sites or in the middle of the night on a rural road.
It’s for those times that STARS fits nicely into an already sophisticated and effective health-care system in Manitoba. Our helicopter is designed to reach where others simply can’t reach. Our highly trained medical crews essentially chart a flying intensive care unit to you and deliver you to hospital quickly. Our mission is to do our best to ensure that you have the greatest chance possible to survive and recover.
STARS, however, is more than a bright red helicopter. We are a team of skilled and dedicated men and women who love what we do. Inside this inaugural newsletter you will meet team members from Manitoba, some of whom picked up their lives and moved home when STARS launched in the province.
We’ve carried out more than 500 missions since first arriving in Manitoba during the floods of 2009. But it’s not just about 500 patients. It’s about 500 families, hundreds of communities, or workplaces and schools. It’s fascinating how having the privilege of caring for one individual can touch thousands. We are but one component of a safety net and when we impact one life together, that difference extends to families, workplaces and entire communities. Inside this newsletter, we will introduce you to some of those patients, who share their stories
of recovery from what was likely the worst day of their lives. Many tell us how grateful they are that we were there for them that day. Their families and friends say the same.
STARS is a helicopter air ambulance service for critically ill and injured Manitobans. As a charitable organization, we need your support to help us fly more life-saving missions, provide specialized critical care training for rural medical professionals, and upgrade our STARS base. We can’t do this without your support. To help get us there, we’ve launched a number of fundraising initiatives across the province, including our first Manitoba Lottery. While the prizes are incredible, the rewards for your community are even greater.
Thank you, Manitoba, for your continued support of STARS.
We are grateFul
For your support,
manitoba
ANDREA ROBERTSON
Ceo message
ANDREA ROBERTSON
President & ceo
STARS and STARS Foundation
STARS is more than a bright
red helicopter. We are a team of
skilled and dedicated men and
women who love what we do.
Every time STARS flies a mission, more people learn that the service is much more than a way of transporting patients to hospital. It’s a flying intensive care unit that brings the hospital to the patient.
And, like any ICU, a doctor with valuable experience in emergency medicine guides STARS missions. From the moment a call is received, a transport physician is available to consult over the phone or even travel with the crew in the helicopter if necessary. In Manitoba, STARS medical services are directed by Dr. Doug Martin. He specialized in emergency medicine for eight years – six of them in air medical transport. A licensed pilot with a diploma in air medical retrieval and transport, Dr. Martin is a natural fit for STARS.
Whenever STARS is called to a rural hospital, a STARS transport physician is immediately assigned to the mission. “The first thing we do is consult with the doctor on site to decide what type of transport would be most appropriate, and whether a STARS physician should be on board,” he says.
When STARS crew attend emergencies outside of a hospital setting, such as the scene of a vehicle collision, the flight paramedic and nurse follow physician approved medical protocols.
In about 80 per cent of cases, STARS’ highly trained nurses and paramedics are able to
provide all necessary care in the air while the transport physician is available to direct the action from the ground.
With their advanced training, STARS crews are able to bring extra skills and capabilities right to the scene. In the case of a severely injured accident victim crew members might administer advanced drugs, place a breathing tube, connect the patient to a ventilator or start a blood transfusion. The transport physician can save many precious minutes by helping the receiving hospital line up the needed diagnostics and services. “For example, we’ll alert MTCC (911 centre) and the hospital if the patient needs to go directly to a certain unit,” explains Dr. Martin. “On more than one occasion, it’s been necessary to take the patient directly to the operating room.”
Another advantage is the ability to draw on a Prairie-wide network of STARS crews who are all trained in the same procedures and on the same equipment.
“In a disaster or pandemic, resources and equipment can be deployed wherever they are needed. We can fly to whatever facility is best able to provide the required care. It means care is far less restricted by geography. Whatever is best for the patient, we can do it.”
physiCians bring expertise to the sky
We hope you enjoy this
issue of Horizons, our
bi-annual newsletter,
where we aim to keep you
informed about what we’re
up to at STARS.
We are a charitable
organization, publicly
funded by government and
community support. This
newsletter highlights a
number of aspects of our
organization, including
our staff and crew, our
fundraising events and how
we work with our partners
in the health-care system.
If you would like to continue
receiving this newsletter
and stay updated on
what’s new, what’s next
and what’s up at STARS,
please send us a note at
newsletter@stars.ca
or call us at 204-786-4647.
Feature staFF
As a registered nurse, Shirley Richards is usually on the service end of the health-care system. She never considered, as she drove to see a client on Oct. 23, 2011, that she would be on the receiving end of medical help that day. While at the client’s home, Shirley suffered a stroke. Luckily, Nicole Sawatzky, a health care aide, was there as well. When Nicole realized what was happening she called 911.
Her call set into action Manitoba’s new protocol for a suspected stroke patient. STARS was dispatched and airborne within minutes. “If it were not for the rapid response, I know the outcome would have been a lot worse,” said Shirley.
Time is critical in the case of an ischemic stroke (when an artery to the brain is blocked) and there is a short window of about 4.5 hours to administer a ‘clot-busting’ drug called tissue plasminogen activator, or TPA. The drug acts to dissolve the clot and restore blood flow. If received on time it can help some people recover more quickly and easily. In this case, time was of the essence so instead of driving Shirley to the nearest emergency hospital, STARS, with the help of local firefighters, landed the helicopter in the client’s yard.
The quick response was just under the time limit to administer TPA. It was an anxious time for Shirley’s husband and son while they waited at
the hospital. “The doctor came to tell them that the drug hadn’t been effective and they would need to operate. But 20 minutes later it began to work and surgery was avoided,” Shirley said, adding that she is recovering nicely.
“If it were not for the rapid response and knowledge of Nicole Sawatzky, the RHA ambulance attendants, the STARS helicopter nurse and paramedic, Dr. Schmidt and the health sciences staff, I know the recovery time would have been considerably longer,” said Shirley. “I am so fortunate that I had the right people who knew exactly what to do and the helicopter response was just amazing. I’m very glad it has come to Manitoba.”
When time is oF the essenCe
SHIRLEy RIcHARDS,
manitou
Feature vip
Her call set into action
Manitoba’s new protocol for a
suspected stroke patient.
Time is critical in the case of
an ischemic stroke and there
is a short window of 4.5 hours
to administer a ‘clot-busting’
drug.
SHARE YOuR STORY
At STARS, we have a special
name for our former patients.
We like to call them our VIPS
or Very Important Patients.
We also like to treat them
like VIPs. We invite them to
our bases for an opportunity
to meet the crew that
transported them and also
to see the helicopter from a
different view.
We also like to showcase
their stories and experiences
in our various publications,
including our popular
fundraising calendar,
our annual reports and
newsletters.
If you or your family are
interested in sharing your
unique experience as a
STARS patient, please call
204-786-4647 or
email vip@stars.ca.
Help us tell your very
important story.
no light? no problem
niGhT viSion TechnoloGy leADS The WAy
It has been said that STARS can sometimes be the brightest spot in a person’s darkest day. For Travis Antonio, the first night mission flown in Manitoba proved to be just that.
It was the first long weekend of the summer of 2012, and Travis and his friends were swimming in Nopiming Provincial Park. As night approached, Travis dived off a cliff, striking his head on a rock beneath the water. His spine was broken, and the closest major hospital was hundreds of kilometres away in Winnipeg. Local EMS knew Travis needed to be airlifted to reach the hospital quickly, and fortunately, STARS had launched 24-hour long weekend operations in Manitoba that very evening. As the STARS helicopter arrived at the scene, pilots were able to use their powerful night vision goggles to guide the aircraft in for a dramatic landing. Although light was fading quickly, it was no problem for the crew.
Chief pilot Alan Baldwin played a major role in bringing night vision goggles to STARS in 2003, making the organization Canada’s first civilian carrier to use the technology. As Baldwin explains, night vision goggles take the tiniest bit of light and amplify it enormously — converting the available photons into electrons, multiplying them, and then directing them at a light-emitting tube (imagine an old-school television). “The goggles will run crystal clear down to about 1.5 millilux — which is basically
a clear night, no moon, stars only and no cultural lighting,” said Baldwin, adding the goggles provide a safety advantage when flying over difficult terrain, such as mountains, but prove equally valuable on level ground.
In Travis’s case, the helicopter landed safely on a dark, narrow strip of beach and he was transported to Health Sciences Centre in Winnipeg for emergency surgery on his spine and head. Today, he’s in a wheelchair and making progress in his recovery. While the accident has changed some of his life plans, he realizes how different things could have been.
“I feel like I owe STARS everything,” said Travis. “It brings tears to my eyes just thinking about what would have happened to me if STARS hadn’t started 24-hour flights that summer. Their first night mission was to pick me up.”
BOARD Of DIREcTORS
As of june 26, 2013
(S) Shock Trauma Air Rescue Society
(f) Shock Trauma Air Rescue Service Foundation
lloyd axworthy (s)
UNIvERSITy OF WINNIPEg, WINNIPEg
linda banister (s)
BANISTER RESEARCH & CONSULTINg INC., EDMONTON
bob brennan (s)
CORPORATE DIRECTOR, WINNIPEg
lyle D. Carlstrom (s, F)
KAy MCvEy SMITH & CARLSTROM LLP, gRANDE PRAIRIE
g. Dino Deluca (s)
BURNET, DUCKWORTH & PALMER LLP, CALgARy
anne Doig (s)
FAMILy PHySICIAN, SASKATOON
randy garvey (F)
CANADIAN WESTERN BANK, EDMONTON
michael hoffort (s & F)
FARM CREDIT CANADA, REgINA
kent D. kaufield, Ca.it (s)
ERNST & yOUNg LLP, CALgARy Rod Kennedy (S, f)
RBC DOMINION SECURITIES INC., RED DEER
John kortbeek (s)
FOOTHILLS MEDICAL CENTRE, CALgARy
Dan maclean (F)
TUNDRA OIL AND gAS PARTNERSHIP, WINNIPEg
sean i. mcburney (F)
KORN/FERRy INTERNATIONAL, CALgARy
greg melchin FCa (s)
CORPORATE DIRECTOR, CALgARy
David mowat (F)
BOARD CHAIR, STARS FOUNDATION ATB FINANCIAL, EDMONTON
irene pfeiffer Cm (F)
MOORgATE HOLDINgS LTD.,OKOTOKS
Dale riddell (F)
CORPORATE DIRECTOR, EAST ST. PAUL
lionel robbins (F)
MAzDA & KIA gRANDE PRAIRIE, gRANDE PRAIRIE
evan saugstad (s)
SPECTRA ENERgy, FORT ST. JOHN
scott saxberg (s)
CRESCENT POINT ENERgy CORPORATION, CALgARy
paul smith (s, F)
TALISMAN ENERgy INC., CALgARy
brian vaasjo (s)
BOARD CHAIR, STARS SOCIETy CAPITAL POWER CORPORATION, EDMONTON
pat youzwa (F)
CORPORATE DIRECTOR, REgINA
innovation
troy pauls
PoSiTion: commUniTy eDUcATion leADeR AnD FliGhT PARAmeDic yeARS oF exPeRience: 20 homeToWn: STeinbAch, mb
“every day that the helicopter flies is a great day at STARS because we are making a difference in the lives of manitobans. The night i flew for one of our own manitoba paramedics was the most memorable. it brought home the personal side to a mission.”
Dave harDing
PoSiTion: cAPTAin AnD PiloT yeARS oF exPeRience: 21 homeToWn: GAnDeR, nl
“This past summer we flew a night mission as the first responder and landed on a narrow beach. We then loaded the patient onboard and flew home using night vision goggles. canada Day fireworks were going off all along the route. it gave me a feeling of a job well-done and i was proud of our crew.”
gail thomson
PoSiTion: FliGhT nURSe yeARS oF exPeRience: 5 homeToWn: WinniPeG, mb
“my best day at work was also the busiest, with three flights. it started with an inter-hospital transfer. The back of the helicopter is like a mini-emergency room and we kept the patient stable until we arrived at St. boniface hospital in Winnipeg. next, we were dispatched to the hospital in Selkirk for a resuscitation patient and the last was a scene call. it felt good to be working so hard doing something i really enjoy.”
Jason graveline
PoSiTion: PiloT AnD cAPTAin yeARS oF exPeRience: 23 homeToWn: GilbeRT PlAinS, mb “i like that my job has an immediate, tangible and positive impact on manitobans. every time we launch on a mission, it’s motivating to watch our air medical crew.”
Jason mCDougall
PoSiTion: FliGhT PARAmeDic yeARS oF exPeRience: 14
homeToWnS: PoRTAGe lA PRAiRie, mb AnD WhiTemoUTh, mb
“Aside from my duties as a paramedic, i also volunteer. STARS recently attended the Austin Threshermen’s Reunion and we were treated with the utmost hospitality. Relationships we build in the communities where we work are vital to doing a good job.”
shane smith
PoSiTion: AiRcRAFT mAinTenAnce enGineeR yeARS oF exPeRience: 14 homeToWnS: WinniPeG, mb AnD KenoRA, on“i like being a part of something that actually matters in the big picture. i feel like i’m part of that picture because every aspect of the how the helicopter is serviced depends on me.”
meet some oF the stars team in manitoba
mattheW markesteyn
PoSiTion: PiloT AnD AiRcRAFT mAinTenAnce enGineeR
yeARS oF exPeRience: 20 homeToWn: WinniPeG, mb
“People are always surprised to learn that the STARS crew strives to have the helicopter airborne within ten minutes of a dispatch call. There’s the adrenaline rush, but the years of training and experience kick in. it’s a controlled and focused take-off.”
traCy hughes
PoSiTion: ADminiSTRATive ASSiSTAnT To vice PReSiDenT, mAniTobA oPeRATionS
yeARS oF exPeRience: 15 homeToWn: STe.Genevieve, mb “i feel that i’m making a positive impact on my community. i support the vice president, but also the day-to-day operations of the crew and the administrative team. When watching the air medical crew recently do their reaction tests to real life emergency situations i was struck by how skilled they are.”
grant therrien
PoSiTion: clinicAl oPeRATionS mAnAGeR AnD FliGhT PARAmeDic yeARS oF exPeRience: 17 homeToWn: chAmbly, Qc
“i like working at STARS for the challenge involved with the critical care missions. The best day, however, was witnessing the signing of a 10-year service agreement with the manitoba government.”
Jason Johnson
PoSiTion: PiloT AnD cAPTAin yeARS oF exPeRience: 17 homeToWn: SelKiRK, mb
“When the team arrives and sees the look of hope from family members because they know their loved one is going to be receiving the best possible care - that makes it personal. That’s when it doesn’t feel like a job.”
robyn steWart
PoSiTion: mAnAGeR, evenTS – mb yeARS exPeRience: 12
homeToWn: WinniPeG, mb “my first day was my favourite day on the job. i watched the helicopter leave and got goose bumps knowing i was in the right place. Working with STARS i have the opportunity to partner my talents with helping to build STARS and see the true impact of what we all can do together.”
erik mCCall
PoSiTion: FliGhT PARAmeDic yeARS oF exPeRience: 12 homeToWn: SToneWAll, mb “ it’s a great culture and challenging career, along with providing a high level of care and service to manitobans.”
It’s always an honour for STARS crew members when a patient drops by to say hello. Not everyone does, but many do. Some patients, whom we refer to as vIPs, (very Important Patients) visit the base shortly after their flight; weeks or months after their incident. Others wait years, even decades before reaching out. Recently, a patient contacted the Calgary base 23 years following her transport to hospital. vIP visits typically include a tour of the base, a peek inside the helicopter and the hangar and the patient meeting some of his or her flight and medical crew Most patients bring their family and friends, too.
This spring, staff and crew in Winnipeg hosted a special guest – and his large, grateful family. STARS carried Samuel gross in 2009.
That April, the eight year old fell into a creek and was swept into a culvert on the Westroc Hutterite colony near Portage La Prairie during spring flooding. A cousin pulled him from the water and began CPR, but 20 minutes had passed and Samuel appeared lifeless. Although paramedics were en route, the closest hospital was a two-hour drive. STARS had arrived in Manitoba days earlier to assist with the flooding, so a helicopter was nearby. Samuel was taken to Winnipeg’s Health Sciences Centre in fragile
shape. His parents kept a vigil for 13 days while the boy lay in a coma and on April 22 Samuel awoke.
Four years later Samuel was reunited with the four crew members who helped save his life that day. In addition to bringing lunch, coffee and sweets, Samuel and his family presented the crew and staff custom made helicopter key chains and personalized pens.
“It was the least we could do,” said Robert gross, Samuel’s father. “I think about almost losing Samuel every single day. STARS saved my son and that means so much to me. I feel like they are part of our lives.”
For Samuel, meeting his crew was important. “I wanted to be able to look at them and say thank you for saving my life,” said Samuel, who is now 14 years old.
For Winnipeg’s base director Jon gogan – one of the pilots during Samuel’s flight - visiting with the boy, his parents and siblings made for an emotional day. “The last time I saw Samuel I was performing CPR while the crew drew up additional drugs to help him,” said gogan. “We don’t often know how the patients are doing after we transport them, so we are humbled and honoured every time we are reunited.”
young patient WanteD to thank
his CreW in person
SAMUEL GROSS,
Westbourne
base visit
For information on
hosting an event,
please contact: robyn
stewart, event manager
204.786.4647 or
rstewart@stars.ca
six business
and community
leaders will be
stranded on an
island on sept. 12.
How will they be rescued
from this remote location?
Only by using their
ingenuity and the best
tools they have – their cell
phones and networks. In
this event, called STARS
Rescue on the Island,
participants must call
friends and colleagues
for support in an attempt
to raise $100,000 for
STARS, before they can
be rescued by helicopter
off the island. To meet
the competitors, visit
the events page at
www.stars.ca.
Would you like to
host an event?
- Contact a STARS event manager;
- Plan your event. We will work
with you, provide resources,
and offer guidance;
- Enjoy bringing your
community together.
Follow up by ensuring funds
are submitted to STARS
and thank your donors.
“ I wanted to be able to look at
them and say thank you for
saving my life.”
2009 APRIl
STARS begins responding
in Manitoba during
emergency flooding
as part of a limited
service agreement.
2011 APRIl
STARS returns to
Manitoba to assist with
emergency response
during anticipated
flooding in spring 2011.
2012 FEBRUARy
The STARS Winnipeg
base becomes permanent
with a 10-year agreement
signed with the
Government of Manitoba.
2012 JUly
STARS starts flying night
missions on summer
long weekends.
2013 MARcH
STARS flies its 500th
mission in Manitoba
to the community
of Steinbach.
2013 APRIl
STARS is fully
operational with the
launch of permanent
24-hour operations.
milestones
Amanda Legault doesn’t remember anything about the moments leading up to the motor vehicle crash that nearly took her life. The horrific incident also robbed the young mother of her memories of the two years before she slammed into the side of a potato truck and was dragged down the highway.
“The only thing I know for sure is how grateful I am that STARS was in Manitoba that day,” said Amanda. “I often wonder if I would be alive if it wasn’t for their rescue.”
Headed to Altona to visit a friend in April, 2009, Amanda collided with a truck and trailer at a highway intersection. Her sport utility vehicle became wedged underneath the truck’s trailer and she was dragged down the highway for about one kilometre before the driver noticed. Thankfully, Amanda had the presence of mind to duck down before her vehicle drove underneath. She was 21 and had an 18-month-old daughter at home.
While emergency crews extricated her, STARS was dispatched to the scene. The crew was working in Manitoba after being called upon to assist during the spring flooding. The helicopter landed on the highway.
It would have taken crews nearly two hours to get Amanda to hospital by ground ambulance, with good roads, but because flooding had affected travel in the region no one could be sure. STARS had Amanda in the air and to Health Sciences Centre in Winnipeg in 18 minutes.
Amanda’s injuries were extensive. She had a collapsed lung, a broken neck, a separated shoulder and five broken ribs. She also sustained massive head injuries. She was unconscious during the extrication and for the next 24 hours before lapsing into a coma for nearly three weeks.
“I don’t know if I would have even survived the ground trip given the extent of injuries to my brain,” said Amanda, who spent two months in hospital and a rehabilitation clinic. She had to relearn walking, eating and using the washroom. “I was a 21-year-old toddler.” Before that fateful day, Amanda hadn’t even heard of STARS, as the organization had yet to open a base permanent base in Manitoba. Today, the 25-year-old shares her story any chance she gets.
“I am just so thankful,” said Amanda, who has since married, given birth to a second child and enrolled at Red River College studying to be an educational assistant. “I think about that day a lot and I have such a soft spot for STARS and what the crew did for me and my family.”
mother oF tWo thankFul
For quiCk Flight to hospital
AMANDA LEGAULT,
plum Coulee
Feature vip
“The only thing I know for sure
is how grateful I am that STARS
was in Manitoba that day.”
The STARS helicopter has a
range of approximately 500
kms, meaning it can reach a
site within 250 kms of the base
and return without refueling.
For emergency calls that are
further out, the helicopter will
refuel at pre-determined sites
such as municipal airports. The
furthest destination we’ve flown
in Manitoba is to Swan River.
To date, our most frequent
destination for missions in
Manitoba is the Morden/Winkler
area.
The STARS crew consists of
two pilots, a nurse experienced
in emergency/ICu care and
an advanced-care paramedic.
A transport physician is also
available by phone for every
emergency response, and is in
the helicopter when medically
necessary.
The helicopter used in Manitoba
is a Eurocopter BK-117 which
has been specially outfitted for
use as an air ambulance.
In addition to Winnipeg, STARS
also operates bases in Calgary,
Edmonton, Grande Prairie,
Regina and Saskatoon.
FAST FAcTS
here are answers to some of your questions about how we operate.
What are the advantages of a helicopter eMs program?
The sooner patients receive specialized care the better the chance they have of surviving and recovering with fewer medical complications. STARS is another resource for patients and we work with our partners in the medical field and emergency services to deliver the best possible care.
how does someone contact staRs for help?
STARS is dispatched the same way as other emergency medical service providers. When the public calls 911, a central dispatch takes information and sends the most appropriate emergency service to respond. In cases where a critically ill patient is being transferred from a rural hospital to a larger hospital, it is a doctor-to-doctor decision.
how long does it take for the helicopter to respond?
Once STARS has accepted a mission request, the helicopter and crew are typically airborne within about ten minutes. The crew is able to provide critical care to the patient on-site and during transport. The helicopter will fly to the most appropriate medical facility to provide further treatment, usually in Winnipeg.
does staRs travel at night?
We expanded to 24-hour-a-day service in Manitoba in early 2013. All STARS pilots are trained and certified in the use of night vision goggles, a technology that STARS began using in 2003. The goggles significantly increase the ability to locate and reach patients at night. STARS is the only civilian helicopter air ambulance service in Canada to have a night vision goggle program.
Can weather conditions prevent staRs from responding to a medical emergency?
There are times when severe weather conditions can limit availability of the aircraft, including severe thunderstorms, dense fog, high winds or icing. Before any mission is accepted, STARS pilots review the weather conditions in the areas of the planned flight path.how is staRs funded?
STARS is a non-profit organization that operates on a shared-funding model in which costs are paid through government, community fundraising, individual donors, and corporate supporters.
Where will the money raised in Manitoba be directed?
Funds raised in Manitoba will go to operating STARS in Manitoba, unless we are otherwise directed by a donor.
Will patients be billed for staRs?
STARS does not bill patients, neither does the Manitoba government. For more information about STARS, visit stars.ca.
On Feb. 22, 2012, STARS signed a 10-year
agreement with the Manitoba government
to provide helicopter air ambulance service
from a permanent base in Winnipeg.
This agreement came after STARS was
requested to provide service during
emergency flooding in 2009 and then
again in 2011.
On Feb. 22, 2012, STARS signed a 10-year
agreement with the Manitoba government
to provide helicopter air ambulance service
from a permanent base in Winnipeg.
This agreement came after STARS was
requested to provide service during
emergency flooding in 2009 and then
again in 2011.
Altona ...2
Arborg ...2
Ashern ...4
beaconia ...1
beausejour ...4
bird River ...1
bissett ...2
brandon ...12
carberry ...2
Dauphin ...12
Dauphin River ...1
Deloraine ...2
ebb and Flow ...1
elie ...1
eriksdale ...4
Falcon lake ...2
Fisher ...1
Garson ...1
Gimli ...1
Gladstone ...1
Glenboro ...3
Grandview ...1
Grunthal ...1
hazelridge ...1
hodgson ...10
Killarney ...3
la Salle ...1
lac du bonnet ...2
lee River ...1
lockport ...1
manitou ...1
melita ...3
minnedosa ...3
morden ...1
morden / Winkler boundary
Trails health centre ...15
myrtle ...1
neepawa ...5
notre Dame ...1
Pinawa ...11
Pine Falls ...6
Portage ...1
River hills ...1
Roblin ...1
Rosenort ...1
Russell ...3
Sandy bay ...2
Sanford ...1
Selkirk ...1
Shoal lake ...1
Snowflake ...1
Souris ...2
St. claude ...1
St. Francois xavier ...1
St. malo ...1
St. Pierre Jolys ...2
Ste. Rose du lac ...5
Steinbach ...8
Swan lake ...2
Swan River ...8
Teulon ...1
Traverse bay ...1
Treherne ...1
vassar ...1
vita ...5
West hawk lake ...1
Westbourne ...1
Winkler ...1
Winnipeg ...4
2012 total: 187
ST
AR
S 2012
MANIT
OB
A
M
IS
SIONS
The above figures reflect the total number of Manitoba missions in 2012.
To date, STARS has flown more than 540 missions in the province.
stars.ca
iF you WoulD like to make a giFt to help support stars:
stars horizons
|
summer 2013
Shock Trauma Air Rescue SocietyShock Trauma Air Rescue Service Foundation
return unDeliverable items to: stars Winnipeg base
155a West hangar roaD Winnipeg, manitoba r3J 3z1
HURRY! TIME IS RUNNING OUT
LOTTERY LICENCE #MGCC-5664-RF INTENDED FOR RESIDENTS OF MANITOBA ONLY
3,254 PRIZES WORTH OVER $2.7 MILLION RETAIL
SEE WEBSITE FOR COMPLETE LIST OF RULES & PRIZES
Total tickets printed 173,500.
starslotterymanitoba.ca
1-855-543-2770
$
60
EACH
,
2
FOR
$
100
,
6
FOR
$
250
&
12
FOR
$
375
FINAL CUT-OFF AUGUST 14, 2013
CRITICAL CARE
IN THE AIR!
GRAND PRIZE #1
WORTH MORE THAN$1.1 MILLION RETAIL!
32 Cypress Ridge, South Pointe, Waverley West
PLUS
2013 CADILLAC ATS Rwd 3.6L LUXURY
PLUS $25,000 CASH!
GRAND PRIZE #2
GRAND PRIZE #3
WORTH MORE THAN $154,000 RETAIL!2013 DODGE RAM 3500 SLT 4 X 4 DIESEL
Supplied by: Eastern Chrysler Dodge Jeep, Winnipeg
2013 PRIME TIME SANIBEL 5TH WHEEL
(HITCH INCLUDED)
Supplied by: Transcona Trailers Sales, Winnipeg
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