On Tuesday, January 7, an issue with the fire suppression system at Stuart Lake Hospital resulted in a flood. With just a week left before the move to the new Fort St. James Hospital and Health Centre, hospital staff and the community came together in an extraordinary display of support.
Despite the presence of water throughout much of the building, no patients or residents needed to be moved out of the facility, thanks to the quick efforts of the Fort St. James Volunteer Fire Department, the BC Ambulance crew, hospital staff, and patient family members. Patients were relocated from their rooms to dry areas within the hospital, ensuring their safety and comfort.
The Fort St. James Volunteer Fire Department and BC Emergency Health Services crew arrived promptly and, after the problem was resolved, stayed to help mop up the water, impressing everyone with their speed and dedication. Family members of patients even joined the mopping effort, and off-duty staff members came in to support changing beds and cleaning floors.
Megan Hunter, Health Services Administrator for Omineca, praised the community's efforts: "The way the town came together in a time of need was truly amazing,” she said. “Thanks to the volunteers and quick response from everyone involved, we avoided an emergency move to the new hospital. This incident shows why we need the new facility so much, and the move on January 14 couldn't come at a better time."
Stuart Lake Hospital did experience a temporary emergency department service interruption as a result of the incident, but services were able to resume on Wednesday morning thanks to the speedy cleanup from Tuesday afternoon’s mishap.
The new Fort St. James Hospital and Health Centre is not quite ready for patients, and the community's efforts made sure the planned move can happen safely and on schedule. This event highlighted the unity of the Fort St. James community, demonstrating the strength of small towns in times of crisis.
We are excited to welcome you to our new facility soon! Stuart Lake General Hospital will be moving to its new location on January 14, 2025, and the Fort St. James Health Centre will follow on January 20, 2025.
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