Safety was the focus of a course provided by STARS Air Ambulance to the Wadena Volunteer Fire Department.

STARS Air Ambulance paid a visit to the Wadena Volunteer Fire Department on January 22nd for a refresher course on the safety procedures to follow if STARS needs to land in the area.

"We went over everything from how to block off highways, looking for obstacles that are hazardous like trees, powerlines and stuff like that. I think it's a fantastic service that the province has. Wadena was lucky enough to be the fourth group in the province to receive the course," said Wadena Fire Chief, Harold Narfason.

Wadena has their own STARS landing pad and fueling station that was pressed into service on the night of Feb. 27, 2019. Classes like these are of vital importance so the volunteer fire departments better understand what is going on around them and how to safely assist STARS crews during a landing.

"It was an excellent course. We were very happy. We had recipients from Archibald, Rose Valley, Wadena, Invermay, and Margo Fire departments and it was very informative. The main goal is that we all stay safe, that's the most important."

STARS Air Ambulance provides specialized emergency care and transportation for critically ill and injured patients. They often work with volunteer fire departments in courses like this across the country to ensure that their mission to attend to patents goes off safely.