STARS Air Ambulance receives money from the Province of Alberta in exactly the same way that Alberta Ground Ambulance does. STARS gets three quarters of its funding from donations. That makes them a charity, I guess. During the first half of STARS existence they did not acknowledge St. Albert's existence. Before STARS branched out into other provinces, it was overfunded. They bought RVs and turned them into mobile schools.
The pilot making the presentation Monday to city council told a story of how his friend injured his arm at home in St. Albert. And how the pilot was able to land in front of buddy's house and pick up his buddy. The pilot did not mention if the fire department was there to guide the helicopter in for a safe landing or if EMS was there to treat the patient before STARS swooped in.
STARS will not come to your house when you have a heart attack. STARS will not extricate you from a crushed vehicle or come out in bad weather. There is a service in St. Albert that will. While STARS was back in its flight lounge for tea and medals, St. Albert FD/EMS went back to their cinder block hall with the dodgy roof to restock the supplies they used.
Rodney Matthews, St. Albert
