SASKATCHEWAN - As La Ronge is under a mandatory evacuation order due to the risk of wildfires in the area, a total of 53 acute care patients and residents from the La Ronge Health Centre and care homes in the area have now been evacuated, the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) reported on June 3.
In a SHA press conference June 3, SHA Chief Operating Officer Derek Miller said the hospital was closed "due to the overall threat in the La Ronge area, and the evacuation order, not because the hospital was imminently exposed to fire," he said.
He noted that five doctors and a number of nurses are staying in the community to sustain a basic emergency service out of the EMS base there.
"We're grateful for them for doing that," Miller said. "We're going to monitor that based on the situation as it evolves, and co-ordinate it with first responders in the community, in terms of if we wind down that service further, and also if we move back into the hospital."
The La Ronge Health Centre, including the emergency department is now closed, according to the news release. While 911 access in the area is expected to be intermittent, emergency services are still available in La Ronge and the EMS base. Emergency care is also available at the Prince Albert Victoria Hospital.
All patients and residents from the La Ronge Health Centre and care homes that were evacuated were transferred to facilities in 19 communities: Arborfield, Battlefords, Birch Hills, Canora, Carrot River, Cut Knife, Duck Lake, Foam Lake, Kamsack, Kinistino, Lanigan, Maidstone, Melfort, Prince Albert, Rosthern, Shellbrook, Tisdale, Unity, and Wilkie.
"We are deeply grateful to the SHA teams who worked through the night alongside partners including EMS providers from across the province, the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency, the Ministry of Health, the Canadian Red Cross, Saskatchewan Air Ambulance, STARS, Rise Air, the Lac La Ronge Indian Band, Medical Communications and Coordination Centers, and Elk Ridge Resort, which served as a key staging area for ambulance coordination," the SHA said.
On how patients were reacting to being evacuated, Miller said "the safety of our patients was our top priority throughout the whole evacuation in order to get them safely out of La Ronge, but also arriving in their destination locations.
"It was a stressful time," he said. "You may have seen footage of evacuees leaving La Ronge and the road south, the amount of smoke and fires that they encountered along the way. It was a very challenging and difficult situation to be in, both for those patients as well as staff that were moving them. Most got in very late last night (June 2)... Our understanding is that the patients and residents they are settling into their temporary accommodations, be that in the hospital or in the care home. But I can only imagine the stress for those patients and residents that were impacted, and also their families. We'll be thinking about them as they themselves are being evacuated out of La Ronge."
Miller said he is thankful for everyone who had a hand in the successful evacuation process, from those on the front line of moving the patients, to the receiving side, and the coordination work to make sure people went to the right place "to get the care they need."
Marlo Pritchard, Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA) President and Fire Commissioner, said in an SPSA news conference on June 3 that currently there are 20 active wildfires in northern Saskatchewan.
"I want to give my thoughts and prayers to those who have been impacted directly or indirectly from these fires," he said. "There are a number of individuals who have lost property, families have been evacuated... To everyone who has had to flee these fires, I want them to know that the SPSA and myself, our hearts and thoughts are with you today."
Pritchard noted that June 2 was an extremely challenging day for combatting the wildfires.
"I expect that today and tomorrow we're going to continue to see high winds and some very challenging conditions for our firefighters," he said.
Pritchard also took a moment to thank the firefighters and all the fire departments that have volunteered to help "in the spirit of support."
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