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Red Deer Advocate WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9, 2014
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Flood advisory issued LONG-TERM FLOOD FORECAST STILL OBSCURE BY RENÉE FRANCOEUR ADVOCATE STAFF A flood advisory has been issued for the majority of Alberta communities, including Red Deer and the rest of Central Alberta, due to spring runoff concerns. The advisory, first issued on Friday, was expanded on Monday to include Fort McMurray and the Peace River
region. The province’s River Forecasting Centre is monitoring river conditions and basins for signs of flooding but says no significant water level rises are expected in major rivers, like the Elbow or Bow. The Red Deer River is also not expected to see overflowing of its banks anytime soon, said Carrie Sancartier, spokesperson for Alberta Environment.
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“But there could be situations where there is some flooding in lowlying areas by smaller creeks ... or from blocked culverts,” she said on Tuesday when temperatures soared to a high of 15C in Red Deer. “In the plains area of the province, snow levels are higher than typical for this time of year and as the temperature reaches double digits, we’ll see quite a bit of melt quickly.” According to Sancartier, the long-
term forecast of what to expect for possible flooding remains obscure. “Our experts were saying they pulled up an Environment Canada forecast for April, May and June and it said there was a 30 per cent chance of above-average precipitation and/or a 30 per cent chance of below-average precipitation so it doesn’t tell us anything yet really,” she said.
Please see FLOODING on Page A2
LIKE A MOTH TO A FLAME
PROVINCE SPENT $460K DAILY ON AHS CONSULTING: WILDROSE BY THE CANADIAN PRESS EDMONTON — The Opposition Wildrose party says for more than a year Alberta Health Services billed taxpayers $460,000 daily for consultants. But Health Minister Fred Horne says most of it was related to creating the health superboard in 2008. Wildrose released documents it obtained under freedom-of-information rules for more than 500 consulting contracts to AHS over an 18-month period that ended last September. “They’re symbolic of the culture of waste that is alive and well in Alberta Health Services,” said Wildrose health critic Heather Forsyth. “The front-line health workers . . . continue to be starved for the resources while rich contracts are handed out to highpriced consultants for things like improving Alberta Health Services’ public image.”
Photo by JEFF STOKOE/Advocate staff
Ameleah Lockhart, 8, directs all her attention to the task as she heats up her kistka or hot wax stylus as she prepares a Ukrainian Easter egg for colouring. The Grade 3 Normandeau Elementary School student is joining seven of her classmates along with school librarian Laurie Tait this week as they learn the traditional Ukrainian techniques of Easter Egg pysanka decoration.
Please see CONSULTING on Page A3
Red Deer the most common destination for STARS BY SUSAN ZIELINSKI ADVOCATE STAFF This year, STARS air ambulance will find out what its two new bigger and faster helicopters can do. On Feb. 5, the Shock Trauma Air Rescue Society started day flights with its newest AW139 helicopter from its Calgary base. A few weeks later, it was also in the air at night. The Edmonton STARS base began flying its AW139 last August. “We’ll be able to look back with both the helicopters in full operation throughout the year and look at the statistics and analyze the benefits,” Cam Heke, STARS spokesperson, said Tuesday. Heke said the new Calgary copter was supposed to arrive last summer, but was delayed until October, then training was required. The AW139 flies at about 278 km/h, about 20 per cent faster than their smaller BK117 helicopters. Heke said with quicker capability, STARS is already seeing more calls for service. “(AW139) also allows us to fly in more difficult weather. It’s got a de-ic-
WEATHER Mainly sunny. High 7. Low -3.
FORECAST ON A2
Photo by JEFF STOKOE/Advocate staff
In recognition of his daughter Gabriella’s fourth birthday this month, Andrew Towers is raising money for STARS Air Ambulance. Gabriella was flown with STARS from Red Deer to Calgary when she was born premature in 2010. ing capability, which our other aircraft do not have.” Two patients can fit in the AW139, while the BK117 typically handles one.
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He said the big red AW139s are easier to spot in the sky. “We tweet most of our missions so the general public, if they are ever
curious, they can follow our Twitter feed.” In 2013, STARS responded to 1,688 calls from its three bases in Edmonton, Calgary and Grande Prairie. Red Deer was the most frequent STARS destination with 61 flights, followed by 40 flights to Lethbridge. In recent years, Red Deer and Lethbridge hospitals have taken turns having the most visits from STARS. Heke said both cities are hubs for patients in their surrounding areas. But Red Deer is unique because helicopters from both Edmonton and Calgary can respond. “If one of our bases is out on a call somewhere because there is some other emergency, we can often still respond because you’re right between the bases.” Slightly more flights to Red Deer come out of Calgary as Edmonton is a busier base. He said Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre provides a typical landing for STARS in terms of geography and a clear flight path — which is good since it’s a frequent destination.
Please see STARS on Page A2
Conference hears about bullying legislation If you have employees in B.C., workplace safety extends well beyond training and the maintenance of buildings and equipment. Story on PAGE B1
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