TD Bank Group commits $600,000 to update STARS’ emergency dispatch technology

Calgary, March 19, 2024 – STARS today announced that TD Bank Group has committed $600,000 over the next three years to support the replacement of its Computer Aided Dispatch system (CAD). TD’s generosity will help STARS reach, treat, and transport more patients as safely and quickly as possible.

Thanks to TD’s donation, funded through the TD Ready Commitment, STARS will move towards a centralized, specialized and future-focused CAD product that enables further integration, data capture, and advanced coordination that goes beyond dispatching and tracking helicopters. CAD, a vital piece of technology in the STARS Emergency Link Centre (ELC), operates 24/7 to connect STARS medical crew wherever they’re needed next.

“Every request — every traffic accident, medical event, ski hill trauma or rural hospital requiring STARS — begins with this critical dispatching technology. We are grateful to TD for recognizing that they are not just replacing a system; they are investing in the future of STARS, and ensuring our ability to provide quality care for all our patients, in whatever capacity they need us,” says Katherine Emberly, STARS president and CEO.

CADs are used in the frontline emergency services world-wide by Police, Fire and EMS to help dispatchers process 911 calls and get people the help they need. STARS CAD provides the backbone for every patient’s interaction, specifically built to help coordinate a response for those who are critically ill or injured, in an efficient and effective way across Western Canada. The STARS Emergency Link Centre fields over 36,000 calls and activates emergency response plans for over 5,000 events for five of their six bases annually, all of which rely upon the complex functionality that CAD provides.

“We’re so proud to support STARS with this donation to implement a new, state-of-the-art dispatch system, helping patients across the Prairies receive faster access to critical, life-saving care,” said Robert Ghazal, Senior Vice President and Alberta Region Head, TD Bank Group. “Through the TD Ready Commitment, our corporate citizenship platform, we’re investing in organizations focused on facilitating better health outcomes through innovative solutions powered by next-generation technology and artificial intelligence.”

For more information about Computer Aided Dispatch and the STARS Emergency Link Centre, please visit https://stars.ca/critical-care-anywhere/stars-emergency-link-centre/.

For more information contact:
Natalie Hofstetter, Regional Communications Team Lead, STARS | mediainfo@stars.ca | 1-866-966-8277

About STARS
STARS was born from the conviction that no one should go without the care that could save their life. Operating 24/7 from bases in Calgary, Edmonton, Grande Prairie, Saskatoon, Regina and Winnipeg, STARS is your best hope in a worst-case scenario. If you need critical care, our mission is to be there for you—physically or virtually—in whatever capacity we can help. Because when it comes to the next patient who needs us, it’s never too far. Learn more at stars.ca