Two emergency airlift transfers against the backdrop of a closed hospital emergency room today underscored the need for emergency assistance in Clearwater.
Blackpool Fire Rescue's (BFR) on-site emergency helipad was once again pivotal when team members were called to assist B.C. Emergency Services with two calls on Tuesday, Sept. 17, said Mike Savage, chief of the Blackpool and Little Fort Volunteer Fire departments.
"The ER closure during the day is a serious impact to the community," Savage told Black Press Media. "Without the air ambulance some serious transfers would be delayed or have to travel to a facility via ground ambulance when advanced care is needed sooner."
"A solution is needed to this situation and we are not the only area affected by these types of closures."
Savage said Blackpool Fire was called at 10:30 a.m. for the first medevac to secure the emergency heli spot. A B.C. EHS ground ambulance travelled from the scene of the emergency to the Blackpool Fire Hall helipad to meet the air ambulance so the local patient could be immediately transferred to Kamloops for advance medical care. The ER in Clearwater at Dr. Helmcken Memorial Hospital was closed.
He said that at approximately 5:20 p.m. a second emergency airlift was requested with a crew from Summit Air ambulance en route to pick up an emergency patient being transported out of Wells Gray Park from Clearwater Lake via BCEHS ambulance. The second air ambulance landed with assistance from BFR certified helipad crews at 5:54 p.m. onto the Blackpool temporary helipad.
Notice was posted Monday, Sept. 16 of a Tuesday ER closure expected from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Patients were told to access care at Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops during that time or 100 Mile House District General Hospital.
"Staff worked really hard to try and find someone on short notice to avoid this closure today," Clearwater mayor Merlin Blackwell stated in an online post Tuesday morning,
In December, 2023 the Clearwater Times reported that Interior Health would be working with the District of Clearwater and local partners, in the hope of eventually seeing a permanent helipad on IH property closer to Dr. Helmcken Memorial Hospital. At the time, Executive Director of Corporate Services Lorne Sisley confirmed Interior Health's limited role.
"We have provided our support for a helipad to be built on Interior Health property near Dr. Helmcken Memorial Hospital for health care services. The District of Clearwater has engaged a consultant to study options for a helipad in Clearwater and I’m sure we will have a better idea of next steps and project timelines once that work is complete."
Blackwell spoke with Black Press Media from the Union B.C. Municipalities (UBCM) conference in Vancouver Tuesday about the proposed permanent helipad.
"I spoke today with the Sun Peaks community that went through the grant process to fund a helipad. We can do this! We need to make this an urgent priority to get a pad constructed. Our highway, our seniors population, our workers , everyone ... we need to reduce response times for them and a helipad will do that. The staff at BC Ambulance can only do so much. Blackpool Volunteer Fire Rescue has been so generous with their support, but we need to do better."
Local RCMP detachment commander, Sgt. Grant Simpson added his support to the lobby.
"The recent and frequent closures to our ER at Dr. Helmcken Memorial highlight the need for a centralized helipad."
