State Senator Edith G. Prague
June 9, 2009
Will State Budget Cuts Ground LIFE STAR Helicopter?
Senate Democrats oppose LIFE STAR cut; say Connecticut needs real cuts & smart investments to solve budget crisis
Senator Prague speaks as lawmakers gathered inside the LIFE STAR helicopter hanger at Backus Hospital in Norwich to urge Governor Rell to rethink her proposal to eliminate the $1.39 million subsidy the state provides to operate the LIFE STAR program. (June 9, 2009)
Norwich — Senate President Donald E. Williams, Jr. (D-Brooklyn), Senator Edith Prague (D-Columbia), Senator Andrea Stillman (D-Waterford), Senator Andrew Maynard (D-Stonington), were joined at a news conference at Backus Hospital in Norwich today by David Coletti, MD, Medical Director of the Trauma Program at Backus Hospital, and Debbie Moran, a parent whose son was saved by LIFE STAR.
Lawmakers, health care professionals, and concerned citizens are urging Gov. Rell to rethink her proposal, as part of her budget plan, to eliminate the $1.39 million subsidy the state provides to Hartford Hospital to operate the LIFE STAR program, which includes a helicopter at Backus and one at Hartford Hospital. LIFE STAR is the only licensed air medical transport program in Connecticut.
“There is no doubt that LIFE STAR has saved lives, and now it is time that we save LIFE STAR,” said Senator Williams. “We all agree that we need to make cuts to help solve the budget deficit, but they can’t be reckless cuts that will jeopardize the health and safety of our families. We will continue to work with Gov. Rell and our legislative colleagues to reach a budget agreement that makes real cuts to state spending while maintaining smart investments.”
“For the past ten years the residents of the towns I represent have breathed a bit easier knowing the emergency medical transport services of the Life Star helicopter are available to deliver them to appropriate treatment in a crisis situation,” Senator Prague said. “To deny Connecticut residents such critical services in the name of some hard-line, obsolete fiscal ideology would be in my opinion short-sighted and extremely unfortunate.”
“LIFE STAR isn’t about one hospital or one community,” said Senator Maynard. “It doesn’t just serve one county or one group. LIFE STAR is a public health and safety vehicle that serves thousands of people in their most critical time of need, when lives are on the line. We have to solve our fiscal problems, but we can’t do it in a way that will eliminate the most critical of services. LIFE STAR is a critical service, and cutting this funding will put lives in jeopardy.”
“In the science of emergency medical treatment there is irrefutable evidence that response time dictates the impact of catastrophic injury; less elapsed time yields better outcomes, that’s all there is to it,” Senator Stillman said. “The LIFE STAR program routinely saves lives and must never be considered an extravagance, because the next accident victim to be transported could be a loved one of yours or mine.”
According to officials with the LIFE STAR program, LIFE STAR is available to all emergency/critical care patients within a 150-mile radius surrounding the two bases. Nearly 500 of LIFE STAR’s 1,400 annual patient transports originate from Backus. Since its inception, the LIFE STAR helicopter has landed in every Connecticut town and at every hospital.
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Senator Prague’s |
Listing of Senator Prague’s recent press releases and a Press Kit with official head shots and bio. |
Press Aide Laurence Grotheer |
