Nicole Goldsworthy, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, SaskToday.ca
WARMAN — Warman Fire Rescue responded to two critical medical emergencies that required STARS air ambulance assistance on Aug. 11, an occurrence the Warman Fire Department described as highly unusual.
The Warman Fire Department said on social media that having STARS land within city limits is uncommon, and having it happen twice in a single day is even rarer.
“We had two serious medical calls within Warman today,” the department stated. “It’s very unusual to have STARS land inside Warman city limits, let alone twice in a day and have us establish landing zones on residential streets.”
Deputy Chief Kevin Schwartz of the Warman Fire Department told SaskToday that firefighters were dispatched to the first incident at 4:35 p.m. and the second at 6:56 p.m. RCMP and EMS also responded to both calls.
According to Schwartz, the first emergency involved a cardiac arrest, while the second call initially involved a patient experiencing difficulty breathing before progressing to cardiac arrest.
Medical Communications and Coordination Centre (MCC) personnel requested STARS for both incidents because of the severity of the patients’ conditions, according to Schwartz.
“The severity of the patient” was the determining factor in requesting the air ambulance service, Schwartz said.
To support the responses, Warman Fire Rescue established landing zones in residential areas deemed the safest and closest to the emergencies.
For the first call, STARS landed at the intersection of Miller Street and Casper Avenue, while the second helicopter landed in an open area on Clubhouse Drive East.
Schwartz said selecting a landing zone within city limits requires a location that is both close to the incident and free of hazards.
“There were no obstacles or power lines, and both locations provided open areas suitable for landing,” he said.
While residents may be surprised to see a helicopter landing in their neighbourhood, Schwartz said firefighters work to ensure public safety before the aircraft arrives.
“The fire department ensures resident safety and removes any debris from the area before STARS lands,” he said. “Residents within the landing zone are advised about what is happening, but there is often little advance notice because these situations develop quickly.”
Although Warman Fire Rescue handles hundreds of medical calls each year, STARS is involved only occasionally.
Schwartz said the department responded to approximately 400 medical calls in 2025 and had attended 235 medical calls so far in 2026 as of Aug. 11.
STARS had been involved in four incidents in Warman and the surrounding area in 2026 prior to Aug. 11. Even so, Schwartz said seeing the aircraft land twice in one day is unprecedented in his experience.
