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by flooding were transferred to safer Evacuating Winnipeg All in a day's work facilities in nearby communities. In teaching hospital Red River Valley Winnipeg, one of the city's two large As the Red River rose, the risk of its teaching hospitals was partially evacu- waters flooding St Boniface Hospital's becomes a war zone ated as the deluge approached and was basement grew. If the basement flood- Barbara Kermode-Scott threatened with closure before the Red ed, the hospital's electricity might fail, River crested during the first week and any patients relying on machines I t's not often half a province becomes of May. for their care would be at risk. All a lake. When southern Manitoba turned into the "Red Sea," a lake lOOkm long and 40 km wide during Manitoba Chapter's Family Physician of the Year the flood of the century in April and May of this year, Canadians from coast to coast to coast watched in horror as the Red River Valley's prairie farm- lands disappeared under flood waters flowing from the United States border to Winnipeg. After the Red River's flood waters wreaked havoc in Grand Forks, ND, in April and then cut off the town of Ste Agathe south of Winnipeg, the province of Manitoba declared a state of emergency on April 22, 1997. The risk that Winnipeg might be engulfed by the unstoppable flood waters became a real threat in early May. Southern Manitoba became a war zone as Canadian soldiers and civilians fought the enemy side by side, day r Robert Sangster, or "Dr Bob" as he's kmown, was named Family and night, in fair weather and in rain, Physician of the Year for his commitment to his patients and for snow, and high winds. Together the the remarkable effect he has had on his local community. Born and Canadian army and Manitoba citizens educated in Manitoba, Sangster graduated from the..University of. saved property, people, and animals Manitoba's Faculty of Medicine in 1973, spent 3 years in Gypsumville and prevented disaster in Winnipeg. in the Canadian Armed Forces, and then worked in Fort Payne, Ala, Manitoba's medical personnel also before returning to Manitoba. He spent 5 years as a fly-in doctor inmthe played their part in the team battle remote Island Lake area of northern Manitoba before setling down in against the Red River. They continued Baldur, southern Manitoba, to practise comprehensive family providing care for existing patients. medicine. Dr Bob's patients love his quiet confidence and compassion, They assessed, diagnosed, and treated his kindness, and his sincere interest in every person who walks new patients, and they attended meet- through his doors. Staff at the Baldur District Hospital, where he is ings, meetings, and more meetings to Chief of Staff, respect Sangster's holistic approach to health care, his plan where to put all their patients as dedication, and his commitment to teaching and commibtee work. flood waters threatened Manitoba's Sangster lives in a log home on the edge of Baldur with his wife, Gail, hospitals. The whole of the Red River and their three children. He designed -and built their home. Sangster Valley south of Winnipeg was evacuat- is also handy with old cars, which he restores in his free time. ed, and patients in hospitals threatened
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critically ill patients, including adult, well as for troops with normal illness- pediatric, and neonatal intensive care es. Luckily, despite their dangerous and dialysis patients, were quickly work diving and running helicopters, evacuated. 'We made a decision early, tanks, and boats at night, only a hand- as the water was rising, to evacuate ful suffered serious injuries. A corpo- those who were most at risk," says ral electrocuted by downed power Dr Pamela Orr, a site coordinator for lines near Emerson lost his left hand the Department of Medicine at the and forearm, and a sapper lost his Health Sciences Centre in Winnipeg right eye. who helped coordinate management of medical beds during the flood cri- Demand brings spirit sis. 'We waited with the patients who of cooperation were stable. We knew that, if we wait- Winnipeg's medical flood response ed 'til the water rose too high, we team also feared that the casualties would have a problem evacuating the that occur in any disaster might very ill patients as well as the stable place exceptional demand on patients." Winnipeg's already reduced medical When the waters continued rising, and surgical beds. Medical personnel St Boniface's tertiary care patients at Winnipeg's hospitals agreed the (surgical, medical, and coronary care) Health Sciences Centre should tem- were evacuated to Winnipeg's other porarily admit tertiary care patients large teaching hospital, the Health only and the bulk of elective surgery Sciences Centre, and secondary care be canceled for several weeks to keep patients were transferred to other beds free to accommodate medical Winnipeg facilities. Medical personnel patients. Manitoba Health increased followed their patients. St Boniface's home care and rehabilitation services emergency physicians rotated through and helped establish a bed registry at the Health Sciences Centre, and inten- the Misericordia Hospital. sive care physicians and interns effec- "We all tried to be more efficient," tively staffed and operated a makeshift explains Orr. 'We always try to be effi- intensive care unit set up in the Health cient; there's nothing like an emer- Sciences' day surgery area. 'They did gency to help.... In emergencies incredibly well with no negative effect people put aside differences and pull on patients other than the emotional together for a common purpose. [We] disruption," says Orr, an Associate saw that in spades. Groups worked Professor of Medicine, Microbiology, very well together and were efficient, and Community Health Science at the positive, and cheerful while fighting University of Manitoba. Soon only stresses in the workplace and at about 200 patients remained in St home.... Ever since, there's been a Boniface Hospital's 600 beds. new respect among Winnipeg's facili- ties for the role each plays." Canadian military "There certainly was a spirit of arrive in Manitoba cooperation among all the facilities, Medical planners also turned their the physicians, and the health care attention to ensuring adequate backup workers," recalls emergency physi- to military medical personnel when cian Dr Palatnick, hospital emer- more than 8000 Canadian soldiers, the gency services program director for largest Canadian military deployment the Winnipeg region. The exception- since the Korean War, arrived in al level of cooperation during the Manitoba to assist in the flood flood crisis helped everyone over- response. In any war, there are casual- come their traditional competition ties. Risk and disaster relief are syn- and rivalries, and ensured the job got onymous. Winnipeg planners made done, he says. "The response to arrangements for trauma victims as the flood was a team approach.
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Physicians had their role, as did nurs- caused serious damage to roads in themselves from illness from contam- es, prehospital caregivers, planners, southern Manitoba. Medical evacua- ination during clean-up. These includ- and administrators. [Because the tion helicopters continued providing ed wearing protective clothing, flood] happened very slowly,... you coverage in the area until June. rubber boots, and waterproof gloves; had a fair amount of time to prepare. Health Canada's Medical Services washing hands frequently, especially That was also the downside. Because Branch provided stress counseling before eating; avoiding direct skin it was a disaster that took a long time services for emotionally traumatized contact with contaminated water and to happen, nothing seemed real to flood victims. surfaces; not rubbing the mouth, people because nothing happened." Manitoba Health also warned that eyes, ears, and nose; not exposing water contamination from dysfunc- open cuts and sores to contamina- After the waters crested tional pumping stations, sewage sys- tion; changing clothes daily; and Disaster relief did not stop once the tems, and septic tanks posed a threat washing contaminated clothes sepa- Red River's waters crested in early to human health. Guidelines were rately from others. May. By May 9 the flood waters had issued advising people how to protect - Winnipeg
...0...... 0.....0...... Volunteers make Presidents look good Bethune and Gutkin review the year Fran Lowry W hat stands out most in Dr Cheri ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~...... Bethune's mind as she reflects .1. on her past year as President of the College of Family Physicians of Canada is how important a contribu- tion all of its volunteers make. The volunteers who give so gener- ously of their time make the organiza- Coliaborative relationships: Drs Bethune and Gutkin discuss the dedication tion great, she explained. The ofvolunteers in the College. volunteers make the president look ------good. who essentially make us Presidents were what carriedme through my Speaking a few weeks after her 1996- look good." year, those relationships. I was 1997 term as President of the College astounded how many people I had of Family Physicians Of Canada Forging relationships come to know, and know quite well: (CFPC) ended, Bethune said she had Her year has given her a tremendous knew who they were and what they far greater expectations of what she respect for the strong relationships had done, as individuals. I was struck would like to accomplish in a year than between the members that she got to by that," Bethune noted. was realistic or even possible. observe first-hand throughout the The College has made substantial "I was a contributor in nurturing country. "I've achieved a deeper progress in forging ties with other the organization in a certain direction. understanding of the extremely strong organizations. For example, the I think sometimes we make a big deal dedication of the volunteer member- College's relationship with the Society about our President, but I really think ship. Our organization is nothing of Rural Physicians has developed sub- that it is a reflection of a very except for the family doctors who are stantially over the year. strong, yet democratic, organization. the members of it. It means nothing Everybody contributes to it in large else other than being a building. I've Fragmented care and small ways. Our groundwork is just gained a tremendous respect for Another collaborative effort, the Task done by our many volunteers and staff what those relationships mean. They Force on Child Health, will be the-
1468 Canadian Family Physician Le Medecin defamille canadien * VOL43: AUGUSIT * AoOT 1997