High River Town Council got an update on the work STARS Air Ambulance does in the municiplality at their meeting Monday, March 12.

STARS Senior Municipal Relations Liaison, Glenda Farnden, says they're averaging nine missions a day, five a day in Alberta alone, across three provinces with 11 helicopters.

"It has been 36,000 missions since the inception of STARS in 1985," said Farnden. "It is really important that we understand the need and the demand for STARS services and the fact that the majority of all STARS response is for the general public."

High River donates one dollar per capita, for a total of $13,590 to help with their fundraising.

She also told Council about improvements they've made including some new high tech equipment.

"It is important that you have all these different tools."

They now carry universal blood on board and can do transfusions for patients with traumatic injuries.

Farnden says they now have a ventilator that can be used on patients of all ages and sizes and a portable ultrasound to detect internal bleeding.

She told council 80 per cent of the money they need to operate every year is fund raised and partnerships with municipalities is an important part of that.

She was hoping council would donate two dollars per captia but Mayor Craig Snodgrass says they will stick with one and if residents choose to donate more to the organization they can do so.

 

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