Health centre, Bruce Power unveil upgrades to decontamination unit at Kincardine hospital

Upgrades to the decontamination unit at the Kincardine hospital, funded by Bruce Power, mean the facility is even better prepared in the unlikely event of a nuclear emergency.

That's the word from Paul Rosebush, president and chief executive officer of the South Bruce Grey Health Centre, which includes hospitals in Kincardine, Walkerton, Chesley and Durham.

Friday afternoon, hospital board members joined Rosebush, and James Scongack, Bruce Power vice-president of corporate affairs, for the official ribbon-cutting the Code Brown room, located just off the back entrance to the emergency room.

Rosebush said that last year, Bruce Power donated $75,000 to purchase new equipment, develop procedures and enhance training for the decontamination unit - used to treat patients exposed to nuclear radiation.

"We are very appreciative of the continued support we receive from Bruce Power," he said. "We now have a state-of-the-art emergency treatment room that we can use as a training facility for both of our organizations, which is an essential resource in our community. This initiative puts us at the forefront of disaster response readiness in the province."

Rosebush said the health centre will be rolling out a training program, including METER (Medical Emergency Treatment for Exposure to Radiation) courses for emergency staff. Plus, health centre staff and Bruce Power staff are continuously doing drills and exercises to ensure preparedness for any kind of nuclear emergency.

"These upgrades to the Kincardine hospital are vital to Bruce Power employees and our community," said Scongack. "As 'Safety First' remains our number one value, we owe it to our employees and neighbours to have a local hospital with outstanding health care and first-class emergency capabilities."

He said Bruce Power had an international review that ended back in December, and the experts were very impressed with the amount of emergency planning being done in Ontario.

However, Scongack noted that with the show of emergency preparedness comes community concern about the risk inherent in operating the world's largest nuclear generating station.

"We're excited about the treatment available to patients here in this room, and the training and protection of first responders which is just as important," he said. "We hope this gives people confidence."

Craig Macklem, in charge of occupational health and safety for the health centre, demonstrated the course of action that would be taken, should a person be brought to the hospital with nuclear radiation contamination.

First, the patient would be brought in the back door of the Code Brown room and placed on a trauma bed which has a cardboard crate on top, lined with a sheet. Emergency personnel, including two nurses, a runner, and a Bruce Power hospital protection assistant, and a health physicist, would enter the room wearing protective gear which is one step up from the isolation gear used in the hospital.

The patient would be doused in saline solution which would be then contained in a plastic jug to be properly disposed of, along with the cardboard crate and all liners, bedding and cloths. The dousing would continue until Geiger counters showed the patient was no longer contaminated. He would then be admitted to hospital for treatment.

Macklem said training of internal staff at the hospital will be ongoing until June. METER courses will be held at the Davidson Centre in Kincardine, June 13-14. Then, June 22, internal exercises will be conducted with Bruce Power.

Before it was upgraded, the decontamination unit had racks and wooden cupboards to store the equipment, said Macklem. It now has stainless steel storage cupboards, a stainless steel work surface and hands-free sink, providing a fully sterile environment.

"Bruce Power staff are familiar with this facility," said Rosebush. "We have done drills here, and we've had tours."