INNISFAIL – Five and a half years ago Don Harrison had a day he would never forget.
Harrison was at work on Dec. 19, 2017 when something felt very wrong.
He had chest pains.
He was having a heart attack.
Harrison went to the Innisfail Health Centre where staff immediately went to work.
STARS air ambulance took Harrison to Calgary’s Foothills Medical Centre for surgery. It was successful.
“The cardiologist said if it wouldn’t have been for STARS I probably would not be here,” said Harrison. “That's pretty shocking news when the cardiologist says, ‘you know, it's a good thing you had that quick response.”
Harrison, a current Innisfail town councillor, shared his story on June 8.
He was attending the grand opening of the updated Innisfail Heliport; a $650,000 project entirely funded by the Town of Innisfail and local organizations without any senior government financial support.
The upgraded heliport has been operational since last November, but the grand opening was pushed to June 8.
The long-awaited event attracted up to 50 health-care professionals and citizens who wanted to properly salute the Town of Innisfail and other organizations for their commitment to the facility that has been saving lives since 1998 when the Rotary Club of Innisfail spearheaded a project to have the heliport built.
Special acknowledgement went to late Rotarian Bob Newman for his dedication to the original project 25 years ago, and to Rotary and the Kneehill Valley 4-H Beef Club for their recent financial support.
Two plaques were unveiled to honour Newman, husband of former Innisfail mayor Pat Newman, and Rotary, the town and the Kneehill Valley 4-H Beef Club.
Innisfail mayor Jean Barclay opened the grand opening by reminding the audience of the town’s three-year emotional journey to modernize the facility.
She recalled council meeting with consultant Ron German of RG Heliservices in 2020 when they were told the heliport was non-compliant with Transport Canada guidelines and it needed to be taken out of service immediately.
For the next two and half years the heliport was closed. STARS ambulance had to use Big Bend Airport northwest of town.
Community engagement began to determine the heliport’s future.
Emotions ran high but the councils led by former mayor Jim Romane, and later Barclay, insisted it had to be upgraded at the existing site next to the hospital; even if some in town felt the cost was too high for a facility that sees an average direct STARS use of five landing missions a year.
Barclay's council ultimately unanimously approved the funding for the upgrade project.
“I think anybody would change their mind if it was their family member that STARS made the difference between life and death,” said Barclay. “How do you put a price on that?”
The grand opening also featured presentations by STARS’ Glenda Farnden, the agency’s senior municipal relations liaison; Robert Swanson, Alberta Health Services area director for rural acute care in the southwest central zone, and local physicians Dr. Gerry Miller and Dr. Jesse Christiansen, as well as Leslie-Ann Epp, unit coordinator at the hospital.
“There are many other communities across Alberta that are envious of what you have achieved right here,” said Farnden during her presentation. “It's important to understand it's not just for within your community; this is also going to benefit your municipal neighbours.
“You are now bringing hope and a chance for life to many, many future generations,” she added. “It's a job well done. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”
Epp, who has worked at the hospital since 1992, told the audience that on Oct. 16, 2019 her mother became seriously ill and STARS was called for a transfer to Calgary; one of the last before the heliport was shut down.
“I knew she was in the very best hands receiving the best care possible. Although our story doesn't have a happy ending, there's so many that do,” said Epp. “The helipad was shut down over a rough time in healthcare and it created a lot of precarious situations and a sense of uneasiness during the height of COVID.
“I want to take this time to thank (the town) for prioritizing this project and not putting a price on people's lives," she added.
“STARS has and will continue to make a big difference in our community.”
