"Too many people were dying needlessly in rural areas."

That from STARS Air Ambulance representative Michael Kowalson. Together with Flight Paramedic Troy Pauls, they made a presentation to Winkler City Council last week.

When every second matters, Kowalson says STARS continues to provide a direct transport to a hospital.

He notes it's approximately 25 minutes from a ditch in Southern Manitoba to hospital in Winnipeg by helicopter, inside what emergency personnel refers to as the 'golden hour'. The time refers to the 60 minutes after a traumatic injury, during which the likelihood of survival is highest if the patient receives medical treatment.

The STARS helicopter is sometimes considered a "flying ICU"

STARS also opened a helipad on the roof of the Health Sciences Centre's Diagnostic Centre of Excellence in 2016, making access to care even quicker.

Kowalson says call volume in the Pembina Valley has increased approximately 6-10 percent every year. To help cover the costs of the emergency helicopter service (patients are never sent a bill) STARS has teamed up with Golden West Broadcasting and Monsanto for a Critical Care On The Air radiothon May 16 and 17. Learn more here.