A Fort Smith senior care worker has shared details about the SA国际影视传媒渃haoticSA国际影视传媒� few days she and fellow staff members spent evacuating their patients as an unprecedented fire season impacts the territory.
SA国际影视传媒淚n my 56 years of living here, ISA国际影视传媒檝e never seen anything like this, ever. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 awful,SA国际影视传媒� said Margaret McKay, who works at the Northern Lights Special Care Home in Fort Smith. SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 been a hectic few days of constant change. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 been stressful, not only for me, but for everybody else on our team dealing with this evacuation process. We did our job the best that we could with the resources that we had available.SA国际影视传媒�
For McKay, her team and about two dozen Fort Smith seniors, the ordeal began Aug. 12 when the Town of Fort Smith came under an evacuation order as a wildfire threatened the community. The seniors were then relocated to Hay River Regional Health Centre.
They wouldnSA国际影视传媒檛 be there for long. The next day, with a wildfire expected to reach Highway 1, an evacuation order was issued for all of Hay River.
SA国际影视传媒淓vacuees should travel to Alberta at this time. Evacuation host communities will be announced later,SA国际影视传媒� stated an advisory from the town at the time.
About 50 seniors from Fort Smith and Hay River, along with GNWT healthcare workers, were then flown to YellowknifeSA国际影视传媒檚 Stanton Territorial Hospital late Sunday afternoon. Air Tindi crews helped board the passengers, many of whom have medical conditions and mobility issues.
SA国际影视传媒淲e spent three hours loading the two planes,SA国际影视传媒� said McKay. SA国际影视传媒淥ne flight had 36 passengers and the one I was on was had mainly Elders in wheelchairs, so it took a little bit longer.SA国际影视传媒�
SA国际影视传媒淲atching these Elders during this evacuation was alarming,SA国际影视传媒� she continued. SA国际影视传媒淢y first priority was to ensure they were boarded and fed with sandwiches and fluids for the 45-minute flight.SA国际影视传媒�
Once on the tarmac at YellowknifeSA国际影视传媒檚 airport, the Elders waited patiently SA国际影视传媒渨ith tired looksSA国际影视传媒� to be sent to Stanton, said McKay.
SA国际影视传媒淢ost of the residents were still in disarray,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淭heySA国际影视传媒檙e asking whatSA国际影视传媒檚 happening? Why are we here? And weSA国际影视传媒檝e been explaining to them that thereSA国际影视传媒檚 a fire and we had to come here for their safety.SA国际影视传媒�
SA国际影视传媒淲e really donSA国际影视传媒檛 want to scare them. We just want to keep them calm and we donSA国际影视传媒檛 want to bombard them with whatSA国际影视传媒檚 really happening with the fires,SA国际影视传媒� she said.
On their second day in Yellowknife, the GNWT announced that it was ordering all residents to leave the city by Friday at noon. McKay said it SA国际影视传媒渇elt like weSA国际影视传媒檙e just being thrown back in the frying pan.SA国际影视传媒�
SA国际影视传媒淭his is our third evacuation SA国际影视传媒� from Fort Smith to Hay River, Hay River to Yellowknife, Yellowknife now down south,SA国际影视传媒� she remarked.
On Aug. 17, staff at Stanton were preparing to send patients and care home residents to facilities in B.C. and Alberta.
SA国际影视传媒淟ast time I heard weSA国际影视传媒檙e going to be sent to Calgary,SA国际影视传媒� said McKay. SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 total chaos here at the hospital. Our seniors have already been through so many tumultuous last-minute decisions.SA国际影视传媒�
According to an Aug. 16 news release from the Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority, services were ramping down at Stanton Territorial Hospital in response to the wildfire situation.
The small number of long-term care patients remaining at the hospital were scheduled to be sent down to southern institutions by Aug. 18.
For more information, loved ones of inpatients and long-term care residents who have been transferred to the care of Alberta health and social services can send their questions to AHS.ECC.Liaison@albertahealthservices.ca.
