The Elk Valley Hospital’s helipad has been certified by Transport Canada for night landings with the use of night vision goggles (NVG); the helipad is the first day time helipad in Canada to receive this certification. This means that pilots from the STARS (Shock Trauma Air Rescue Society) air ambulance are now able to land at the Elk Valley Hospital, weather permitting. It took two years to get the helipad certified as there was no existing documentation specifically dealing with night vision goggles and the requirements for flight paths, obstacle identification, and lighting.  Stantec Consulting Red Deer, Alberta, was hired to handle the needed site plans, flight pathsand operating manuals. The cost to achieve this certification was $40,000. Mike Potter, aviation manager for the STARS Calgary Base, said “being certified to land at the Elk Valley heliport using night vision goggles means our crews are able to land at the hospital in Fernie at any time, which means patients are getting the care they need quicker.” Elk Valley Health Services Administrator Karyn Morash said “with night time landings we have now increased our ability to get patients the care they need faster.”  In 2009, STARS flew nine missions to the Elk Valley Hospital and 10 missions in 2008.