The Red Lake Margaret Cochenour Memorial Hospital has started transferring inpatients, should the community have to be evacuated due to ongoing forest fires.
So far five patients have been moved with some to Lake of the Woods Hospital in Kenora and some to Atikokan, with three patients set to leave the community Thursday.
The Red Lake area continues to be threatened by Fire 77 and 16 and the hospital has enacted it’s fire plan as a precaution.
“Our decision to start patient transfers now is driven by multiple factors, including continued forecasts of hot dry weather, concerning wind conditions, speed of fire movement, and the time required to move multiple patients by air from our remote community” says Sue LeBeau, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Red Lake Margaret Cochenour Memorial Hospital. “It can take a few days to locate beds and secure transportation. We are taking the time we have to plan the safest transfers possible for our patients”.
The hospital is working closely with local Emergency Management and Fire Services, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, the Municipality of Red Lake, fellow Northwestern Ontario Hospitals and ORNGE Air Ambulance to coordinate wildfire planning.
RLMCMH is still open to all patients, including those coming for laboratory, ultrasound or x-rays at this time.
Staff and physicians will also continue to provide regular hospital service.
Health officials say they are evaluating outpatient procedures for next week and will notify patients if their appointments are affected.
If an evacuation order occurs, the hospital will reduce or discontinue services as dictated by local conditions.
More updates will be provided as they become available.
