The freezing cold of the last few days has given the CIUSSS de l’Estrie-CHUS a hard time: broken pipes have forced several establishments to reorganize to continue to offer services to patients.
The broken pipes, sprinklers or heating system, some of which caused significant water damage, began on Saturday morning. In the past week, the temperature has dropped to -48 ohC in Estrie. “The main breakdown was at the Hôtel-Dieu hospital in Sherbooke,” explains Annie-Andrée Émond, from the CIUSSS communications department. Two sprinkler failures forced a slowdown in activities.
“There was water infiltration and we had to close part of the emergency room,” she continues. To compensate, we opened an exceptional emergency unit on another level of the hospital, and we managed to keep the emergency room open. »
Ms. Émond specifies that the ambulances were diverted for “some time” since the emergencies were not “100% efficient”. »
Drying and dehumidification works are in progress. The situation should be restored in “several days, even a week,” says Ms. Émond. “People are being asked to use the emergency room wisely. The situation is slow right now. »
Other establishments were affected by the cold snap. These are the Fleurimont hospital and the CHSLD D’Youville, whose cafeteria will have to be closed for a few days. “But the kitchen was spared, so we can continue to serve meals,” says Ms. Émond. The Granby hospital, partially affected, had to postpone the appointments of some patients in outpatient clinics. Two other CHSLDs were also victims of “minor damage. »
Since the Frontline Access Desk (GAP) telephone switchboard was flooded, part of the workforce was relocated to telework. “There is therefore a slowdown in the telephone response to our GAP,” adds Ms. Émond.
This is the first time in the recent history of the CIUSSS that so many establishments have suffered equipment failure due to a cold snap.