October 17, 2023
Edson Healthcare Centre had to evacuate twice this past summer due to regional wildfires. Here, smoke billows over the emergency bays at the community hospital. Photo courtesy of Dr. Sarah Smith.
Story by Nouran Babcock | Photo by Dr. Sarah Smith
EDSON — This wildfire season has been challenging, particularly for the North Zone, with six evacuations in one weekend. The Town of Edson alone experienced two evacuations in little more than a month — with Alberta Health Services (AHS) staff called upon both times to support the relocation of patients, residents and clients to safety.
Evacuating a facility is no small feat. It takes an incredible amount of coordination, but it all starts with AHS’ relationship with local municipalities, says Russ Nelson, North Zone Director for Emergency/Disaster Management (E/DM). By keeping Municipal E/DM departments up to date on AHS’ facility needs, it also allows sites enough time to draw up a plan that won’t burden a municipality’s resources.
“We’re very methodical in how we evacuate and we move people in a way that makes sense,” says Nelson. “When we start talking about evacuation, we talk about risk, we ask who we’re legally and ethically responsible for, who can leave with friends and family, and who needs our help.”
In Edson, both a hospital and continuing care site were evacuated twice.
Evacuations also trigger the setup of a Zone Emergency Operations Centre (ZEOC), which then supports the site under a Code Green — with everything needed from transportation to document control — by creating a team drawn from all areas of AHS.
Crystal Browne, Director of Clinical Operations of Area 4 for North Zone, is one of the few people who stayed behind while the rest of the town evacuated, including her own husband and children. Along with other site leaders and some frontline staff, a small team stayed at the facilities to ensure that patients leaving the Edson Continuing Care Centre and Edson Healthcare Centre — and the staff who care for them — did so safely.
“You really have to make decisions quickly in the moment and it can be uncomfortable,” she adds, as wildfires can force quick, unexpected changes to plans. “You’re not moving healthy, able-bodied people — and it can be distressing as healthcare providers to do so, because we’re striving to give the best care possible.”
AHS keeps a master list of all the patients and residents in its care. While the patients in hospital vary day to day, knowing the needs and abilities of continuing care residents helps with preparing their evacuation and reception at a new site.
On top of keeping patients safe, staff also need to keep themselves safe in the midst of a high-stress, ever-evolving situation.
“There’s a heightened response from people. We try to balance that, being respectful of what they’re going through, while ensuring that that they’re doing things as safely as possible given the circumstances,” says Danielle Neave, Director, Workplace Health and Safety Business Partnerships for the North Zone.
“We try to remind people to take care of themselves, that they remain hydrated, and that they make sure that they’re using appropriate techniques so they don’t get injured. We also support and determine when they should be donning an N95 (face mask).”
Workplace Health and Safety also arranges for mental health supports for workers once they come back on site through the Employee and Family Assistance Program.
In 2023, hundreds of acute care patients and continuing care residents were evacuated from AHS’ North, Edmonton, and Central Zones (Drayton Valley, East Prairie, Edson, Evansburg, Fox Creek, High Prairie, Pembina Village, Rainbow Lake, Swan Hills and Valleyview). These evacuees were transferred to facilities across the province, where they continued to receive care until the threat of wildfires passed and it was safe to return to their home communities.
When wildfire forced the evacuation of several Northwest Territories communities in August, Alberta Health Services teams also provided services for evacuees with health needs, and opened its facilities to accept transfers of acute care patients and residents.
Since any community could be at risk of evacuation if a natural disaster occurs, it’s important to be prepared on a personal level as well as at work. It’s important to know what to do in including having a personalized plan and kit. For more information see Insite.
