On Aug. 28, British Columbia’s health-care professionals, and the overall health-care system, showed world-class skills, co-ordination, professionalism and compassion after a terrible accident on the Coquihalla Highway.
The men and women of our health-care system worked exceptionally hard to provide life-saving services for those injured in the crash.
From all accounts, the speed and skill of those who responded and provided ongoing care has certainly saved lives.
A bus full of tourists enjoying B.C.’s mountains flipped over, injuring all 56 people on board. Seven people were critically injured, while six had serious injuries.
Within minutes of the crash, health professionals who happened to be on the Coquihalla Highway, including two emergency doctors, were at the scene. Ordinary British Columbians also rushed out of their cars to help in any way they could.
B.C. Emergency Health Services dispatched the first ambulance to the scene within minutes; in the end 19 ambulances and six air ambulances arrived at the crash, whisking people to the help they needed as quickly as possible.
Local fire departments also sent first responders to support paramedics in their work.
Meanwhile, six hospitals throughout southern B.C., from Merritt to Kelowna and Kamloops, and all the way to New Westminster, sprung into action to receive the injured. Three hospitals, including those in Kelowna and Kamloops, declared a Code Orange, which prepares a hospital to receive mass casualties.
The most seriously injured arrived in Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops, Kelowna General Hospital, and Royal Columbian Hospital in New Westminster via air ambulance, where emergency doctors, nurses, surgeons and other health professionals were ready, with about eight operating rooms prepared for immediate surgery.
Other bus passengers arrived at hospitals throughout the afternoon and evening, including the eight-bed Nicola Valley Hospital in Merritt, to receive quick and efficient care.
The level of co-ordination throughout the system during this event was astonishing.
B.C. Emergency Health Services and hospitals worked closely to make sure patients received excellent care. Even while treating this many casualties, not a single scheduled surgery was cancelled that day at any of the hospitals involved.
The health professionals also were deeply aware of meeting the social and emotional needs of the patients. Many of the passengers on the bus spoke Chinese dialects; hospitals made sure translators were available to explain procedures and answer questions.
Hospital staff helped reconnect family members and update them on how their loved ones were doing, and where they could be found.
Three days after the motor-vehicle incident, many of the passengers have been released from hospital and those 30 or so who were still admitted continued to receive world-class care.
They are in my thoughts daily, and I sincerely hope they all have a full recovery.
As Minister of Health, and a British Columbian, I want to thank all the health professionals, first responders and citizens who responded to this terrible accident and its aftermath.
We are all very proud of your efforts.
Terry Lake is British Columbia’s Minister of Health.
