Message from Sue LeBeau, President and CEO
14-7-2021
Message from Sue LeBeau, President and CEO
Due to our concerns from a number of nearby forest fires, particularly Red 77 and Red 16, we have enacted our Hospital fire plan.
Safe inpatient movement takes careful planning, partnership and time. We have chosen to start relocating inpatients to other Northwestern Ontario hospitals before our community triggers an evacuation notice, as a precaution against our wildfire situation. Our decision to initiate patient transfers was driven by multiple factors, including continued forecasts of hot dry weather, varying wind conditions, continued fire movement, and the time required to move multiple patients by air. It can take a few days to locate beds and secure patient transportation. We are taking the time we have to plan the safest transfers possible for our patients.
We are working closely with local Emergency Management and Fire Services, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, the Municipality of Red Lake, fellow Northwestern Ontario Hospitals and ORNGE Air Ambulance to coordinate the hospital’s wildfire planning. We are grateful for their support.
Our Hospital currently remains open to all patients, including those coming for laboratory, ultrasound or x-rays. Our caring staff and physicians continue to provide our regular hospital service, so please come if you need hospital care. We are evaluating some scheduled outpatient procedures for next week, and are notifying a small number of individual patients whose appointments are affected.
If an evacuation order occurs, our Hospital will reduce or discontinue services as dictated by our local conditions. We will provide updates on our Hospital website and social media if that happens.
I hope you and yours stay safe and well.