Star EMS

04/17/2026

We love seeing the City of Pontiac come alive with events like this—especially when they’re happening right in the heart of downtown, just steps from Star EMS Headquarters.

Since 2003, we’ve been proud to call Pontiac home. What started as a big move for us—renovating a historic building into our headquarters—has turned into something even more meaningful: being part of a growing, vibrant community filled with great people and local businesses.

It’s exciting to see our city continue to grow and thrive, and events like this Art Crawl are a perfect example of that energy.

We hope you’ll come out, explore, support local artists and businesses, and experience everything that makes Pontiac such a special place. We’ll be here, proud as always to serve the community we call home.

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Here's your guide to all of the fun activities happening in Downtown Pontiac tonight, April 17th from 5 to 9 pm, part of our weekly Friday arts activations ⏬

Here's your guide to all of the fun activities happening in Downtown Pontiac tonight, April 17th from 5 to 9 pm, part of our weekly Friday arts activations ⏬

This Week's Art Market

Local artists, makers, and bakers displaying and selling their creations at 154 North Saginaw. Free admission. Each week the Art Market moves around to different venues in our downtown. And you can sign up to be a vendor (for free) at a future Friday! Here's the link for free vendor signups.

Music Action

Both live music performances and DJs spinning throughout downtown all night. Grupo Illusion with special guests Kathy Kosins and the OU Jazz Ensemble are all performing at 154 N. Saginaw. Again, free admission! Diane Russell is rocking out inside Saginaw Street Consignments (150 N. Saginaw). Pontiac’s own Tony Jefferson is performing at Charlene’s Theater Bar (16 N. Saginaw). DJ NUFF CED starts spinning inside Club 49 (49 N. Saginaw) at 8 pm. And The Crofoot (1 S. Saginaw) has Los Dorados and De Parranda performing in their main ballroom, while Daft Punk Night is upstairs in their Pike Room, and Mr. Bill goes on at 9 pm at Elektricity Nightclub (15 S. Saginaw).

Art Exhibits + Art-Making

All of these experiences and exhibits are free to you: Make Salsa or Learn Salsa Dancing at 91 N. Saginaw. Here's the registration link for the free Salsa making class. Create Worry Dolls at The Herbal Touch, 125 N. Saginaw. Take a guided meditative painting class with Pontiac artist Dewayne Rowe Jr. at E-Community Outreach Services, 180 N. Saginaw, from 5 to 7 pm. Collective 35 Art Show is inside 35 N. Saginaw. Art Station 87 “Reflections in Color” Art Exhibit at 87 N. Saginaw. Artist Diane Russell is at 150 N. Saginaw in Saginaw Street Consignments. Artist Amy Flores and others are exhibited at CreativelyA1 Gallery & Airbrush. Electric Love Tattoo iconic tattoo art beauty. Kids can make Butterfly Masks, Butterfly Art, Canvas Bags, and other crafts inside 46 N. Saginaw. And we hear there will be sidewalk chalk action sprinkled around the downtown. Make art, take in art... let's live it up!

Shopping Destinations

Multiple downtown retailers are staying open later during the Arts Crawl to welcome you and showcase their treasures: Designed Mindfully (inside 91 N. Saginaw), 248 Hot Spot and Fat Man Customz (121 N. Saginaw), Saginaw Street Consignments (150 N. Saginaw), Spirit Rocks (106 N. Saginaw), Kulture 81 Cannabis (81 N. Saginaw), Pop-up at Luminosity Naturals (18 E. Lawrence), CreativelyA1 Gallery & Airbrush (16 E. Lawrence), EveryBody Coffee (31 N. Saginaw, enter from W. Lawrence), and more.

Dining Options

Riley’s Catering is popping up at Saginaw Street Consignments (150 N. Saginaw) and food is for sale at Club 49 and Charlene’s Theater Bar. The menu at Fillmore 13 Brewery and Kegger Burger (7 N. Saginaw) is also calling your name. EveryBody Coffee has coffee, smoothies, and sweet treats awaiting you (31 N. Saginaw, from Lawrence Street). Courtney’s Juicy Juice is popping up at Luminosity Naturals (18 E. Lawrence). Sips on the Geaux, Mz. Rita’s Twisted Desserts, and other makers are all rocking it out at the Art Market (154 N. Saginaw). And CreativelyA1 Gallery & Airbrush is thoughtfully providing complimentary coffee (16 E. Lawrence).

Signature Cocktails

Signature Arts Crawl Cocktails are available for purchase at Charlene’s Theater Bar, Club 49, Fillmore 13 Brewery, and Kegger Burger. Elektricity and The Crofoot's bar during their concerts is another option. Plus, our downtown is a Social District, so you can sip and stroll from participating venues.

Art Installations

Take your photo in front of the massive, new Wings of Pontiac art installation at Saginaw Street Consignments (no charge for the photo opportunity!). We know you'll enjoy the new, stunning butterfly installations by Main Street Pontiac along Saginaw, north of Huron. Peep the artwork installed in downtown storefronts. Spot the new Zach Curtis mural outside the Courthouse. And absorb the new Jeremy Paskell mural next to Kulture 81. Plus, we’ve got our existing iconic sculptures and murals throughout the landscape.

Unique Experiences

Crystals, Astrology Readings, and Tarot Readings at Spirit Rocks (106 N. Saginaw). Custom airbrush orders at CreativelyA1 Gallery & Airbrush. Pontiac City Councilwoman Milanna Jones is hosting the District 2 Elevate and Collaborate Meeting at E-Community Outreach Services, which includes a painting experience guided by Pontiac artist Dewayne Rowe Jr., from 5 to 7 pm, at E-Community Outreach Services (180 N. Saginaw). Pontiac Mayor Mike McGuinness will be leading a free walking tour about the history of our downtown’s Art & Architecture, stepping off from the Art Market at 6:30 pm.

Parking

On-street parking throughout downtown Pontiac is free during the Arts Crawl. That's right, the city won't be issuing parking tickets during tonight's festivities! Lafayette Street also has free parking spots. We also have permission to use the Erebus Escape parking lot at 34 Oakland Avenue, the large parking lot behind 31 Oakland Avenue, the Grace Gospel Fellowship parking lot at Mill + Huron, as well as City Hall and the Library.

Event Time

The Arts Crawl runs from 5 to 9 pm each Friday in April and May. But many businesses and restaurants are open before 5 pm, and some venues and businesses will have fun activities that go after 9. Nothing wrong with that! Come and have fun with us when you can, for as long as you can. Can't come this week? Well then, carve out a few Fridays that you can join us this Spring and we'll be thrilled to see you.

More Info

To learn more, including features at upcoming Arts Crawls or to sign up to become a vendor yourself, visit the website at pontiacartscrawl.com — and we’ll have friendly downtown art ambassadors on-site to help direct you to your destinations, including at our home base this week at the Art Market (154 North Saginaw).

City of City of Pontiac, Michigan USA - Government

03/20/2026

We are proud to call the City of Pontiac our home.

Since moving our headquarters here in 2004, this community—its residents, families, and businesses—has shown us incredible support and kindness. It’s something we never take for granted.

Serving Pontiac isn’t just what we do—it’s who we are. We are honored to be there for you when it matters most.

Thank you, Pontiac, for trusting us to serve you.

02/28/2026

Thank you to Councilman William A. Carrington for inviting Star EMS to the District 5 meeting and giving us the opportunity to speak.

The turnout was impressive. Residents introduced themselves, shared how long they’ve called Pontiac home — some for 50 years, others just a few months — and spoke openly about what matters most to them. From the city’s $60 million budget surplus to street lights, traffic signs, bike lanes, public safety, and even a community pool wish list… every voice was heard.

The meeting was engaging, informative — and honestly, FUN. Between Councilman Carrington’s infectious smile and Mayor Mike McGuinness’ enthusiastic energy, the room felt welcoming and alive.

To the residents who stayed afterward to share positive experiences with our service — thank you. Those stories truly mean the world to us.

For those who may not know, Star EMS provides Pontiac with first-class, advanced life support 911 ambulance service. Our headquarters has been located in downtown Pontiac since 2003 in the former Christian Literature building. We expanded in 2004 with a two-story ambulance bay and have continued investing in the property ever since.

It’s also important to note: Star EMS is not funded by a Pontiac millage or tax. We operate on a fee-for-service basis — meaning only those who utilize our services are billed.

We’re grateful to serve this community for over two decades, and proud to call Pontiac our home.

02/21/2026

In this video, we show you a large secure area at Star EMS that without authorized access, nobody ever sees - until now!

Here's a fun little "informal infomercial" about what we do with patient care records and billing documents once the (very long) statutory retention period expires.

For billing records, that time (for us) is 10 years. For patient care records, we keep those a lot longer than most people probably realize (certain records we keep up to 26 years). That means, we have to keep all these boxes in a secure location, for a very long time. Space fills up quick - so we are happy to regain space after we shredded 90+ boxes - a small dent - but we will take it.

Some people may not know, but we also house and maintain the records for our fire department customers; the ones we provide billing services for. Yes, in addition to processing our own Star EMS claims, we also provide the billing functions and services for some area fire departments. If you've ever called the number on your invoice - and heard a friendly voice answer generically - "ambulance billing, how can I help you today" that's probably our folks in the Star EMS Billing Department, on behalf of the municipalities we serve or served in the past.

If you have any questions about how Star EMS handles your protected health information (PHI), please refer to our Notices of Privacy Practices (NPP) brochure that (if a patient) was mailed to your home, or provided at time of service. Of course, you can always request a copy by emailing info@StarEMS.com

Waterford Regional FireWhite Lake Township Firefighters Local 5295 Highland Twp Fire Department Springfield Township Fire Department Groveland Township Fire Department

02/13/2026

"We like Mike" for his commitment to clear communication, directly with the residents of Pontiac, regarding the things that are important to us on a neighborhood level.

02/12/2026

Hello friends of Star EMS,

In the coming months, you may see increased media coverage about Star EMS — and we welcome it. As we continue to grow, we’re grateful for the opportunity to share our story.

We recently expanded into the City of Troy and are now 43 days into providing primary 911 ambulance service. It’s been a significant investment and long-term commitment, and we’re thankful to the City of Troy for their trust.

So far, operations are going well. The OCMCA response time standard is 9 minutes — and we’re currently averaging approximately 5.25 minutes to scene, even during challenging winter weather. While we’re proud of that, we agree with a Troy resident who said the real measure of success is patient outcomes.

We also recently welcomed CBS Detroit and reporter Julia Avant to our headquarters as part of their “Getting Answers” segment to address community questions about EMS service in Troy. We appreciate the opportunity to provide transparency and clarity.

As we grow, our commitment to the communities we’ve served for nearly two decades remains stronger than ever. We’ve added nearly 40 team members, upgraded dispatch technology, invested in new equipment, and placed eight new ambulances into service — all to better serve the people who count on us every day.

Most importantly, we recognize the EMS professionals who show up each day ready to help. While we can’t share details about the calls they respond to, please know they serve with dedication, professionalism, and compassion — and we are incredibly proud of them.

— Star EMS

02/11/2026

We invited CBS Detroit's Julia Avant to Star EMS to get answers to questions she had about the services we are now providing in the City of Troy. We appreciate her coming out for the interview.

01/01/2026

Happy New Year and Happy Launch Day.

The cell phone video below, courtesy of Randy Byrne and Scott Kolpasky, captures our early-morning deployment as Star EMS officially begins providing primary 911 ambulance services for the City of Troy.

Just four short months ago, we were honored to be awarded this contract. Since then, an incredible amount of behind-the-scenes work has taken place to ensure we were fully prepared on day one. We’d like to sincerely thank the City of Troy for their trust and partnership. We’re proud to serve your community.

Our HR team was met with an overwhelming response from experienced EMTs and paramedics eager to join Star EMS. While there may be many new faces, these are seasoned EMS professionals who share our passion for taking great care of people. We’re proud to welcome each of them to the team.

Our operations and fleet teams traveled across the country to secure and prepare six new response vehicles, including four custom ambulances from High Ground in Indiana, an additional unit from Saskatchewan, and a fully outfitted F-150 Echo unit from Wisconsin. From there, supervisors, fleet, supply, and leadership worked side-by-side to equip every unit with the lifesaving tools our crews rely on every day. Buying ambulances is only the beginning, outfitting them properly is where the real work happens.

We also strengthened our billing department, adding experienced EMS billing specialists to ensure timely claims processing and knowledgeable support for patients and families.

We’re grateful to the State of Michigan inspectors for working with us on short notice, and to the Oakland County Medical Control Authority, where Star EMS has proudly been a member in good standing for 23 years. Their oversight and commitment to excellence help make initiatives like this possible.

While we’re excited to expand into a new community, we want to reassure our current partners and communities: our commitment to the first-class service you rely on has never been stronger. These investments strengthen our entire organization and benefit every community we serve, today and in the future.

Thank you to everyone who made this possible, and thank you for taking this journey with us.

Best wishes for a happy, healthy 2026.

12/17/2025

Happy Holidays!

12/15/2025

Congratulations to Tim Hamrick who is retiring after 40+ years in EMS.

It's bitter sweet for us at Star EMS because Tim is a talented paramedic, an excellent mentor, and a genuinely good human being. We will miss seeing him at work but we are also very happy for him, as he has big plans for travel and adventure in his retirement, too.

As a matter of fact, Tim has a viral TikTok channel (THAM) where he shares stunning travel and diving videos. His last shift was just three days ago, and he has already made his way down to FL with his family.

Congratulations on your retirement, Tim. We look forward to living vicariously through your content creator adventure videos, and we wish you the best of everything that this next chapter in your life has to offer!

Thank you for making Star EMS your home for the second half of your career!

12/15/2025

12/14/2025

Here's a story that always puts me in the Holiday spirit:

For as far back as I can remember, at least two decades, our coworkers join together and adopt a family for Christmas. Before that, we did another program where we adopted two dozen kids and shopped for items on their Christmas list.

We are so very grateful for the generosity of our coworkers. Without them, we wouldn't be able to make this kind of magic happen. So thank you to everyone at Star EMS who participates. Your kindness warms our hearts and makes me proud.

And then.... there's our lead Elf, Amy McLaren, the glue that holds this entire thing together.

Its a huge undertaking to make this heartfelt effort a reality. In short, there's the actual assignment of a family, the crowd sourcing of money from employees and managers, the gift buying, wrapping, organizing, and finally delivering all the items by the deadline. Amy, does all of this.

When you ask Amy how she got involved and why she makes this her mission each year, she humbly says, "Lisa was amazing at this before she died, and I wanted to continue her tradition-her good work-her legacy".

Lisa was a dispatcher at Star EMS and led this program initially. When Lisa passed away suddenly and unexpectedly (we miss her every day), this program and all the kids who counted on it, found itself without its leader.

Thats when Amy stepped up, and stepped in, in a big way. "I was grieving the loss of my friend and I couldn't just let what she did go away", said Amy in an interview, 10 years ago. "No child on our list was going to wake up Christmas morning, and not have a gift." And that was that. Not only did Amy take over the project, but we know her friend and co-dispatcher, Lisa would be proud of how its grown, and the job Amy is doing.

These stories do our hearts good. I will forever be proud of the folks that are Star EMS.

A special thank you to our friends at the CARE House of Oakland County for inviting us to be part of their gift giving program.

Merry Christmas.