Minor service disruptions expected during upgrades

ROCKY MOUNTAIN HOUSE – Scheduled electrical work starting Monday at the Rocky Mountain House Health Centre will lead to temporary, minor disruptions in service.

From June 10 to 23, Alberta Health Services (AHS) and its contractor will be completing the final phase of electrical upgrades throughout the facility. Power outages have been planned for staggered, short time periods across various areas of the site to allow for work to be conducted safely.

As a result, the helipad will be temporarily closed for a minimum of two hours and a maximum of five hours on June 16 after 6 p.m. In the event that a patient airlift transfer out of Rocky Mountain House is necessary, a STARS helicopter will land at the local airport and the patient will be transferred by ground ambulance from hospital to the airport. This practice has safely been used in Rocky Mountain House before, and is a safe and common practice in other communities across the province.

Some areas will temporarily close for a few hours at a time and others will use portable lighting while power is turned off to the area. Patients and visitors are asked to obey any related signage. These power outages will occasionally require the use of portable X-ray machines. Patients requiring urgent X-rays during these outages will be transferred to Red Deer or Sylvan Lake for higher-quality diagnostic imaging.

Residents in the immediate area may hear noise from a portable generator, which is necessary to carry out the work. The facility will continue to offer quality patient care during the upgrades.

Alberta Health Services is the provincial health authority responsible for planning and delivering health supports and services for more than four million adults and children living in Alberta. Its mission is to provide a patient-focused, quality health system that is accessible and sustainable for all Albertans.