Reflecting on Evacuation and Returning Home
Quick action during the recent Labrador West wildfire results in one of the largest hospital evacuations in Newfoundland and Labrador’s history
Throughout the month of July, several wildfires burned out of control in Labrador resulting in significant impacts to communities, including health-care services within the Labrador-Grenfell Zone.
On Friday, July 12, a wildfire came dangerously close to the Town of Labrador City resulting in an evacuation of approximately 9,600 residents from the town, including 27 patients and long-term care residents from the Labrador West Health Centre.
“We had very little time to react to the situation as the weather conditions changed so quickly,” says Wanda Slade, senior director of facility and support services and acting chief operations officer – Labrador Grenfell Zone during the incident. “We gathered together as a team, including members of the provincial paramedicine and medical transport service and provincial integrated protection services, to plan what the evacuation would look like and what was needed to get everyone out of the town safely.”
Similar to the wildfire near Churchill Falls in early July, members of the Provincial Integrated Protection Services team of NL Health Services were kept updated on the wildfire situation through the Provincial Emergency Operations Centre, which included leadership from federal, provincial and municipal partners, and volunteer support groups. The collaboration enabled the NL Health Services paramedicine program and air ambulance aviation providers to efficiently evacuate and later repatriate patients.
Photo caption: Heavy smoke outside the Labrador West Health Centre as the evacuation notice was declared for the Town of Labrador City on Friday, July 12.
“This event was truly remarkable in terms of how well everyone came together to do what was needed to support the safety of the people and communities, as well as the staff of NL Health Services,” says Nix George, provincial manager, Health Emergency and Continuity Management – Provincial Integrated Protection Services. “Evacuating a full hospital, not to mention a community of this size, is very complex and requires careful consideration and collaboration across many different groups to execute.”
The hospital evacuation was completed by about 5:30 a.m. on Saturday, July 13 with the majority of patients and long-term care residents moved by air ambulance to the Labrador Health Centre in Happy Valley-Goose Bay.
“The staff and physicians at the Labrador Health Centre opened their doors and their hearts to the evacuees, while continuing to maintain normal services,” says Wanda. “Some of those from Labrador City who were evacuated to Happy Valley-Goose Bay went to work at that facility to continue providing care to our patients. We are very proud of all staff and physicians who worked so tirelessly during what was a very intense time with many unknowns both personally and professionally.”
Essential Services Continue in Labrador West
Approximately 50 NL Health Services employees were declared essential and remained in Labrador City to support emergency and essential health-care services, including services for residents in the nearby Town of Wabush who remained on evacuation alert.
Soon after the evacuation of Labrador City, NL Health Services established a temporary Ambulatory Care Clinic in Wabush to serve residents with urgent/non emergent medical needs.
Photo caption: Sarah Kennedy, nurse practitioner, preparing to welcome clients at the Ambulatory Care Clinic in Wabush.
Photo caption: L-R Brittany Norman, Karen Andrews and Tina Tobin – the team responsible for establishing and operating the temporary clinic in Wabush during the evacuation.
“While we closed the doors to our facility in Labrador City, we continued to provide health-care services to those who stayed behind,” says Jennifer Foley, senior director of Hospital and Clinical Services in the Labrador-Grenfell Zone. “We acted quickly and made a plan to ensure the residents of Wabush, as well as essential workers in Labrador City, were supported with health-care services such as prescriptions, wound care and IV medications.”
The Wabush Recreation Centre was quickly transformed into a functioning clinic which was managed through the 811 HealthLine to ensure services were prioritized for residents who needed them most.
Photo caption: L-R Karen Andrews, Brittany Norman and Lindsay Mitchelmore
working in the temporary clinic in Wabush.
“Our team moved stretchers and other equipment from the hospital and set up a functioning clinic within 24 hours, which is incredible,” says Dr. Greg Manning, senior medical director for the Labrador-Grenfell Zone of NL Health Services. “There was also a lot of work happening in the background with our Provincial 811 Healthline and local pharmacies to ensure clients received the prescriptions and care they needed. Our health-care providers managed to maintain emergency, acute care and community services by effective collaboration within NL Health Services and with our external partners.”
In addition to the essential health-care staff that were enlisted to provide support, there were many other critical programs from within NL Health Services that supported the evacuation response, including laboratory services, medical imaging and pharmacy.
“The magnitude of work involved and the coordination of efforts was significant, but knowing the team we had on the ground and the support provided provincially, I was really confident and reassured that we would be able to effectively manage the situation,” said Wanda. “This was truly an all-hands-on-deck response and our staff and physicians responded and provided support wherever it was needed. I am so thankful for all the support, it’s an experience we will never forget.”
Returning Home
On Saturday, July 19, the provincial government announced a partial lift to the evacuation order for essential workers, including health-care and food services, to prepare for the full return of residents to Labrador City at noon on Monday, July 21.
As more people came home, the phased return to normal operations at the Labrador West Health Centre went smoothly with all staff, patients and long-term care residents back in the facility by Tuesday evening.
“It was an emotional time for everyone to see our patients and residents returning,” says Wanda. “Staff prepared welcome home signs for long-term care residents and were just so pleased to be back to work and back home. It was a really special homecoming.”
Photo caption: Long-term care resident, Francis (Frank) Fowler, being welcomed back home by staff members, Jillian Saunders (left), personal care attendant, and Erin O’Reilly (right), licensed practical nurse, at the Labrador West Health Centre.
NL Health Services extends sincere thanks to its community partners, including the Town of Labrador City, the Town of Wabush, industry partners, and others who worked closely with our staff and physicians to ensure the safety of all residents.