Features Commercial EMS
STARS very busy in Saskatchewan in 2013

“254 from the Regina base and 281 from Saskatoon,” said STARS
spokesperson Cam Heke. “Those numbers are a reflection of the fact that
both those bases were fully operational operating 24 – 7.”

In 2012
STARS only flew 159 missions, with 127 in Regina and 32 in Saskatoon,
the service only launched at the end of April 2012 in Regina and
Saskatoon waited until October 2012. Both bases also started with 12
hour service but are nowavailable for calls 24 hours a day.

Accounting
for the difference population size and the fact that the service is
relatively new here, Heke said those numbers are about on par with what
they would expect to see in comparison to Alberta. Heke said STARS is
handling more calls for service as it builds a strong relationship with
health regions across Saskatchewan.

These numbers also represent
only the missions where the crew actually airlifted a patient and they
don’t include various calls where they are turned back en route. 

STARS
helicopters respond to various types of emergencies. They will land on
the scene of accidents in remote areas in response to traumatic
injuries. But Heke explained that STARS also serves another purpose for
transferring patients requiring emergency care to city hospitals.

“We have a history of about 60 per cent of our flights being out to rural hospitals,” he said.

In
addition to handling calls involving traumatic and life threatening
injuries, STARS will transfer patients who are critically ill.