The HALO Air Ambulance medevac helicopter will continue to save lives, at least until the end of the province’s helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS) review.
HALO said in mid-May that it was “on life-support” as funds were running dry at the organization, which provides emergency air ambulance service, as well as search and rescue service, to a large swath of Alberta.
The community rallied in support of the organization, and Friday, a “Free Fry Day” was held to raise money.
In a news release on Tuesday, HALO said that fundraiser, as well as the immense support through social media, the campaign #HALOCHALLENGE and the word-of-mouth stories, saved the air ambulance for the time being.
“As of June 1, 2020, no financial support is forthcoming from the government of Alberta,” HALO CEO Paul Carolan said.
“Based on significant community support HALO is forecasting they will be able to provide full medevac service through the end of the Provincial HEMS Review.”
Carolan said there’s no guarantee the financial support they’ve gotten will see them through the next six months, but the organization sees it as a “realistic possibility.”
“We can’t take our foot off the gas; we need to make sure we support these fundraisers with everything we have and make sure the momentum continues,” Carolan said.
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“We also can’t take the pressure off the government of Alberta.
“The people of southern Alberta have spoken clearly, and definitively, they believe their government should at least do their part, and they are tired of feeling like second-class citizens because they live in rural Alberta.”
Thanks to Facebook fundraisers, nearly $200,000 in items and services were donated to the air ambulance cause in less than two weeks, HALO said.
HALO’s air ambulance helicopters cover parts of southern Alberta that other air ambulance services, like STARS, don’t reach as part of their scope.
It also provides search and rescue services, as well as training, to people living in the area.
It’s funded by community, corporate and business donations, as well as support from both the municipal and provincial governments.
“Considering the immeasurable gap the loss of the HALO program would create, we are not asking for the unreasonable — $250,000 a month to operate a program that is deeply invested in our communities; a program that believes in making every penny count; a program that saves lives,” Carolan said.
“It’s a small price to pay when you consider the extremely limited financial investment of the provincial government to date.”
HALO also announced Tuesday it’s created a new online platform where Albertans can send a message directly to their elected representative about supporting the air ambulance service on a permanent basis.
In an emailed statement, press secretary for the Ministry of Health, Steve Buick, said the department was “pleased to hear that HALO was able to successfully fundraise.”
“Our government has asked Alberta Health Services to fast-track its review of all helicopter medical transport services in the province,” Buick said.
“We expect to receive the results of the review by the fall. We urge HALO to participate in the review and help AHS develop funding options that are fair to providers, and realistic based on their capabilities and service volumes.”
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