KANANASKIS – Two emergency calls to Kananaskis Country this past weekend required response from STARS, Alberta Health Services EMS and Kananaskis Emergency Services but none of the agencies have been forthcoming with much information on the incidents.
Both calls came mid-afternoon, with the first on Saturday (Aug. 10), involving a "female hiker in distress" and the second on Sunday (Aug. 11), involving an injured adult male.
"The call to Kananaskis Village [on Aug. 11] was in response to an adult male trauma patient that was transported to Foothills Medical Centre in Calgary," said Natalie Hofstetter, STARS regional communications team lead, in an email.
"Unfortunately, I have no further details to provide about the call in question, but it's possible that other local responding agencies may have more information available."
AHS EMS media relations personnel said the injured man was in serious, but stable condition at time of transport but declined to provide further information to the Outlook, including circumstances around required emergency response.
"We can't release that information," said AHS EMS public education officer Naomi Nania.
On Saturday, the female hiker "triggered a distress signal" prompting a response from emergency personnel, according to STARS. She was also transported to Foothills Medical Centre, but no information was given on her condition, the location where she called from or where she was picked up.
"I don’t have details on the exact location or nature of patient injuries, but local first responders may have additional information available," said Blake Robert, with STARS media relations, in an email.
Similarly, AHS EMS senior communications staff were reluctant to share further information on that incident.
AHS EMS media relations typically releases information on trauma calls in the interest of public safety, including as recently as last week when STARS was called to airlift a man involved in a golf cart crash at the Kananaskis Golf Course in serious, life-threatening condition.
The man, an employee of the golf course, later died. Alberta Occupational Health and Safety is investigating that incident.
Asked whether there have been procedural changes with media inquiries on EMS calls, Nania said none have been made recently, but noted the province decided within the last year it would limit what information AHS media relations can provide.
"We have a very, very, very small window of information we can now release ... especially if it goes via STARS, we're releasing care to STARS to give whatever information they're allowed to give," she said.
"I would say it's probably within the last year ... we used to be able to give gender, we used to be able to give approximate ages, we used to be able to give, usually, somewhat of the condition of the patient, and we have been instructed by the government – because we're obviously under Alberta Health Services – that we cannot release anything."
In the event of a medical call, this is typical practice. However, information on trauma calls – even those requiring response from STARS – has historically been more forthcoming in the interest of public safety.
In the event of a fatality, STARS is sometimes stood down before arriving at a call when it is no longer required, and therefore, has no information on the mission. In that case, AHS EMS will also defer media to RCMP.
RCMP was not required to respond to either incident on the weekend and has no information on the calls.
Nania noted that Kananaskis Emergency Services was involved in response to Sunday's call. She also said she could share the location of that incident, which occurred in the Rocky Creek area.
A staging site for STARS to pick up the injured man on Sunday was set up in Kananaskis Village.
In a statement to the Outlook, Alberta Forestry and Parks – the ministry responsible for Kananaskis Emergency Services – provided no information other than to confirm rescues were required in both events.
"Kananaskis Mountain Rescue responded to both incidents and received help from STARS in airlifting the injured patients to hospital. No further details are available at this time," said Jessi Rampton, acting press secretary, in an email.
