July 19, 2024
Clockwise, from front left, are volunteers Michelle Gerwing, Lianne Kowalchuk, Maggie Turner, Krista Rushforth, Christina Critchley, Nicole Costello, Amarjeet Saini and Loralee Fox, who took to the air to help evacuate seniors in Fort McMurray away from the danger of a nearby wildfire. Photo supplied.
Story by Melanie Veriotes
CALGARY / FORT McMURRAY — During wildfire season, the need for swift, coordinated responses to evacuate residents and patients from hospitals and continuing care centres is paramount.
Alberta Health Services staff stepped up on May 5, when an urgent call for assistance came from Willow Square Continuing Care Centre in Fort McMurray, when a nearby wildfire triggered a crisis alert.
Nineteen residents needed immediate evacuation, prompting a rapid deployment of volunteers from Calgary. The Continuing Care team in Calgary put out a call, and three clinical nurse specialists and five AHS Continuing Care managers volunteered to fly up and bring these residents to Calgary.
"When there is a crisis, people need to step in, and I considered it a privilege to help my colleagues up north," shared Michelle Gerwing, Area Manager of Transition Services and one of the volunteers with the team, reflecting on her decision to join the mission.
Within hours, a team of clinical nurse specialists and managers boarded a flight equipped with essential supplies and a can-do attitude, ready to manage any situation with the assistance of a flight crew, with the goal to safely relocate vulnerable individuals to Calgary's continuing care facilities.
Upon arrival, they found Willow Square staff remarkably organized despite the challenges posed by the wildfire. "We were very impressed with the care centre staff," says Gerwing. “It was obvious that they’d done this before, as they were highly organized to ensure clients received the best care with minimal disruption.”
Working in coordination with local staff, firefighters and EMS, the team swiftly assessed each resident's condition and readied them for transport.
"Our team coordinated seamlessly with the local Willow Square staff, who excelled in assisting with patient transfers and maintaining a calm environment,” says Lynette Fritzke, Calgary Zone director of Transition Services, Seniors, Palliative and Continuing Care.
The team is used to working with continuing care patients, and keeping people calm, particularly those with dementia.
By the next day, all 19 patients were comfortably settled in their new beds in AgeCare and Bethany Calgary locations, getting the ongoing care they required. The entire operation, completed within 24 hours, demonstrated the efficiency, dedication and professionalism of the team.
"I want to thank everyone involved, especially the staff and managers who didn't hesitate to put their hands up when fellow Albertans needed help,” says Fritzke. “This collective effort underscores our unwavering commitment to community support and patient care in times of crisis."
