Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan Inc. has announced a multi-year, multimillion-dollar commitment to help bring helicopter air ambulance service to communities across Saskatchewan. It will help support the availability of a state-of-the-art emergency medical services helicopter and the construction of a new hangar to house the aircraft from its base of operations in Saskatoon, with estimated values of C$27 million.
“At PotashCorp, we’re committed to improving quality of life in places where we operate, and health care is an area that touches us all,” said Bill Doyle, PotashCorp president and CEO, when making the announcement April 14 to a large crowd of dignitaries and community leaders, including Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall. “We’re a Saskatchewan company with deep roots across the province. We believe people who are critically ill or injured should have access to the best care “whether they live in one of our cities or smallest communities.”
The announcement follows the signing of a new agreement between the province and STARS “or Shock Trauma Air Rescue Society “to establish a helicopter air ambulance program in Saskatchewan and complement existing ground and fixed-wing air ambulance services.
“PotashCorp’s investment will make possible a hangar for the STARS base in Saskatoon which will initially operate with a BK117 twin-engine helicopter that has a response radius of 250 kilometers,” said Dr. Greg Powell, STARS president and CEO. “However, when the program is fully operational, PotashCorp’s commitment will help to bring a larger, faster AW139 helicopter with increased patient capacity and a wider range to support critical care missions further into northern Saskatchewan and deeper into the southern region.”
This flight range means that the new STARS program will provide service to approximately 90 percent of Saskatchewan’s population, with the capacity to respond to emergencies in rural, remote, and First Nations communities, as well as isolated work sites with limited access to health services.
“This is an extraordinary commitment to the people of our province,” said Premier Wall. “PotashCorp’s contribution means that we will be able to introduce helicopter air ambulance service to Saskatchewan as planned and move quickly to improve emergency medical service for Saskatchewan people who live and work outside of our urban centers.”