Flooding in the basement of Western Memorial Regional Hospital in Corner Brook was a result of the inability of the temporary measures that were put in place by the City of Corner Brook to divert water and sewer from Western Memorial Regional Hospital. The system was unable to handle the capacity of the flow due to the increase in rainfall in the early hours of June 24th. Areas affected by the flooding include laboratory, pharmacy, and SPD.
Staff has been cleaning up these areas, assessing and repairing the damage.
Laboratory services were not available to the public during this time but blood collection will resume later today at an alternate location within Western Memorial Regional Hospital.
In the Pharmacy, some pharmaceuticals and supplies have been damaged. An issue had occurred with the sterilization of the chemotherapy preparation area because it requires a sterile environment. Chemotherapy for ten patients had to be temporarily delayed. Six patients began their treatment later this morning and four patients have been rescheduled to start their treatment tomorrow morning.
In SPD, some supplies have been water damaged. Assessments are underway with Infection Control as to which supplies need to be re-sterilized or potentially replaced.
The Operating Rooms at Western Memorial Regional Hospital has had minimal impact. The sterile equipment and supplies for today’s cases were already in place and no procedures were cancelled for today. Procedures for tomorrow are being assessed.
Currently, the flood water has receded. Environmental Services are in the process of final cleaning and disinfecting the affected areas.
Western Health would like to thank the many staff at Western Memorial Regional Hospital who has worked so efficiently to enable clean up to happen quickly and mitigate as much damage as possible.
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For more information,
Please contact:
Heidi Staeben-Simmons
Director of Communications,
Western Health 709-637-5252