Budget deal includes LIFE STAR funding
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The longest budget impasse in the state's history ended with one positive note for eastern Connecticut, as proposed cuts to Hartford Hospital's LIFE STAR helicopter program were avoided allowing the two helicopters to remain in service, one stationed at Backus.
Funding for LIFE STAR is part of the budget that legislators passed this week. Gov. M. Jodi Rell, who will let the budget take effect without her signature, did not include the program on her list of budget line-items to veto.
If funding had been cut, eastern Connecticut likely would have lost LIFE STAR, which responds to incidents with serious injuries and transports patients from Backus to larger hospitals when needed.
"Our community was impressively supportive of LIFE STAR, and our legislators heard and responded to their support," said Backus President and Chief Executive Officer Dave Whitehead. "Residents wrote letters to legislators, to the governor, to newspapers, and posted positive comments on blogs and our LIFE STAR Facebook page. Clearly, there is firm recognition of the value of this life-saving program in eastern Connecticut. Let me take this opportunity to thank all of these community stakeholders for their advocacy efforts."