Air ambulance service in southern Alberta
 

Hey folks, heads up regarding the HALO air ambulance service in southern Albert is on its last legs. I am not very much aware of the business or services in a very good working knowledge. But it is being reported that they have told the counties and MD’s that they are going to be limiting service at the end of this month with a further limiting of service by August which to my understanding is a complete removal of air ambulance services in the primarily south east portion of the province.
Could someone please help me out in looking this up a bit more and providing a link to this issue as I’m not very good with this sort of thing. I have always had the understanding that this service was available in this area and I would really not be very comfortable knowing this service is gone when hunting or fishing in that area of the province. As hunters, I feel we should make our case known to the province as I believe this to be an essential service that we can’t let go. For those of you that don’t know, STARS doesn’t service that part of the province as they do not have equipment able to make the journey from Calgary to these areas without refueling. So they refuse to go down that way. I think HALO is based out of Medicine Hat but I might be wrong there.

Why is this in the "HUNTING SECTION"...?

STARS doesn’t service that part of the province

Always wondered why there was a separate, private, air ambulance service there? Maybe time for a public movement to get a STARS base there.

Grizz

STARS does service the south eastern part of the province as well, depending on the situation. STARS choppers are more suited with equipment and personnel to treat patients while on route where HALO is maybe more of a faster transport due to its location. I believe STARS dispatches for HALO. STARS makes almost as many trips to that part of the province as HALO but it obviously takes longer so when time is of the essence HALO is a life saver. hopefully they get the funds they need!

Because I felt that hunters should be aware of this as the remote areas in which they travel to go hunting.

I believe you’re correct but STARS doesn’t have enough range to make a round trip and needs to stop and refuel somewhere. I’m which HALO is able to be dispatched and transport to Calgary and then go for fuel before returning to base. Make a call to the MLA’s in that area if you’re one of the many folks who travel down that way for hunting trips. The Pinhorn is a long ride in an ambulance away from an emergency room!!

There really aren't any "remote hunting areas" between Medicine Hat / Lethbridge / and Brooks.

That's where HALO operates...

So the Alberta government gives STARS $13 Million to fund a new helicopter but won’t fund HALO to keep it in the air? The Feds give STARS $65 million (to buy 5 new Airbus H145 helicopters for Alberta) and give nothing to HALO or Local Hero Foundation in Fort McMurray? This just stinks of bureaucracy!

https://calgaryherald.com/news/local...t-replacement/

https://calgaryherald.com/news/local...ederal-budget/

and to make sure that we have the best technology and reliability for Albertans across the province,

Apparently, they use a different definition of Alberta than the rest of us.


Grizz

OK, good to know. :thinking-006:

I called the Taber Warner MLA and voiced my opinion. I really do not know where to go on this. That’s what I did, so maybe enough phone calls gets some people hearing the issue gets something moving.

Quick FYI
 

There is a fundraiser going on Facebook with it being items put up for best bid wins type thing. Last I saw approx 368 items with values of about $95000. There are some really great items offered up by some very generous people. As for hunting related I saw a 2day waterfowl hunt, a sturgeon fishing trip, several handmade knives. Have a look and search HALO Fundraiser on Facebook and you should be able to find. You need to join group to be able to bid. Also, a few financial businesses are topping up donations that vary but for example I think ATB is adding 15% to donations they their branches. Have a look folks.

Stars
 

Stars has and continues to enjoy funding in plenty of areas they do not service, and thats criminal. They fundraise in fort McMurray taking funding dollars away from the Hero organization. I have listened to the Stars calendar guys in Canadian Tire in Fort McMurray telling patrons that Stars services the area and always has a helicopter on standby. Thats a complete lie.

Ive worked with STARS and theyre top notch. Their program is second to none.

The calender sales is BS, amd the folks i knew there asked us to tell people to NOT buy the calenders from site vendors. Some third party thing and they do fundraise where they shouldnt.

And STARS is not public, not controlled by AHS. We, as Albertans, do not want them to be.

I beg to differ! I’ll take you to a remote part down there.

I got a kick out of that comment as well.
Small update in regards to Halo. There are 2 FB fundraiser groups going. One is called Halo Fundraiser and the other is Border Communities fundraiser. Plenty of awesome items to bid on. Many items are going well past actual values. Another big day yesterday with the folks at Western Tractors locations did a Fry Day in which was to go and get some potatoes out of storage in which is another issue, but they raised $300,000 yesterday for Halo. With these fundraising efforts, I’m hoping that the service remains for a while longer.

But Halo helps EVERYBODY just not hunters.

I hear the fund raising is going well 😊

Stars
 

Stars is absolutely part of AHS now. They’re approval is required for all rotary dipatches in the province, not just their own.

Stars also airlifted elk hunter Fran Nykoluk out of 402 after a grizzly bear mauling in 2004.


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The forgotten corner,,of the province.

No truer words spoken ^^^

I have heard that fundraising is doing well, the Fry Day event put on by Western Tractor a couple of weeks ago was said to have raised $320K but I have heard reports of closer to $500K. Not sure though. The online FB auctions are raising a fair bit and 1 of them is coming to a close on the 13th and the other on the 18th. If interested look up HALO Fundraiser and Border Communities HALO and you should be able to find. As well ATB is taking donations and doing a top up of 15%. I’m not sure if that is branch only or what exactly the deal is there. I have been just following a couple of items and bidding on them.

Halo
 

I am aware of at least 2 cases that Halo flew out. One was almost on the MT border south of the Hat in a remote area of 102 when he came of a horse unexpectedly and a second in a near fatal auto crash when STARs was unavailable for transfer from Lethbridge to Calgary. Halo and Stars are both private but dispatched by 911 and they work with AHS. Halo has a fund raiser on their face book page if you are interested.

Its There.

And no, they are not a part of AHS. Checked recently.

They act third party to our public system and they need to stay that way. They work with our system but not for it. There is a huge difference.

911 does not dispatch them directly, they dispatch themselves and can be disptached directly by first responder personel that have been trained by STARS.

Unless you have or are a part of the process you don't know. Because you called 911 and STARS eventually landed doesnt make them AHS or a part of services dispatched by 911.