Joe Klassen introduced guest speaker Mike Lamacchia, VP of Medical Operations and Education for STARS (Shock Trauma Air Rescue Society). He's been in the medical business for 20 years and still enjoying his work. The SAIT grad has won awards as a medical transport executive and for work in human patient simulators.

STARS is 75% funded by philanthropic fundraising, including through some Rotary clubs in Alberta to the tune of $140,000. The number one topic around the water cooler for the personnel is "patient care". Number two is emergency medical communication and three is education and research, including professional development for physicians in rural Alberta, using the "human" mannequins which replicate human conditions, each costing from $50,000 to $250,000. Only then comes fundraising through community partnerships. Their priority is people and their care.

Alberta is unique with the STARS operation. No other jurisdiction has STARS. We actually have three STARS in Alberta: the Calgary area with a 125 mile radius, Edmonton overlaps slightly and Grand Prairie looks after the northern part of the province. There is a similar operation in Ontario and Alberta STARS is helping BC start up their operation. Currently STARS covers south eastern BC, including Sparwood and Elkford, and north eastern BC around Grand Prairie.

The fundraising push for the last eight years is for two new Italian AW139 helicopters for $11 million each to replace and supplement the current BK117s that have been flying here for 25 years almost 24/7. They still fly very well, but they are aging. The new birds will accommodate up to three patients at a time with a 25% faster response time and a larger range. They will arrive mid-2011.

The new 'copters have a de-icing capability, necessary in Calgary's crazy climate. From last November to this March STARS had to turn down 20% of the flight requests due to weather in Calgary.

STARS in Grand Prairie moves critical patients from the Grand Prairie hospital to Edmonton as part of their work, as the Grand Prairie hospital cannot care for some really acute care patients. They also use a fixed wing plane for some evacuations. Only 3% of STARS work is search and rescue, but they are currently the only company equipped with night goggles.

All calls are free to the patient.

STARS employs their own medical doctor, who is available for consultation with doctors in rural Alberta. For instance, if a call comes in from a remote small centre, the STARS doctor can help diagnose and/or treat a patient over the phone when the rural doctor can follow directions and diffuse the emergency situation, perhaps saving an unnecessary trip. Canada requires two pilots to fly a "commercial medical" aircraft. The US requires only one.

Bryden Horwood gave the thanks of the club acknowledging the more than 20,000 missions flown by STARS as an example of the power of compassion in our community. He then presented Mike with our "world famous" Boltman.

reported by Lynne Thornton