EVERY MISSION COUNTS
Our Activities continue to increase
STARS is responding to more emergencies each year. In 2011, STARS flew 1,655 missions in Alberta, a 12.5% increase since 2008. We average four missions per day from bases in Calgary, Edmonton and Grande Prairie and have flown over 23,000 missions since 1985.
The spring and summer of 2012 saw some of the busiest long weekends in STARS history in Alberta.
• May long weekend: 23 missions
• Canada Day long weekend: 26 missions
• August long weekend: 23 missions
• Labour Day long weekend: 21 missions
Many times, STARS will return to base, re-stock the helicopter, re-fuel and head right back out to another emergency. An increasing and aging population contributes to the growth in service demand for STARS, which also increases the costs associated with operating a helicopter air ambulance program.