THUNDER BAY, Ont. – A new initiative is reminding hospital patients that they have the support of area first responders.
The Northern Lights project launched on the evening of Wednesday, Jan. 31. The initiative will feature emergency vehicles, with lights activated, parade once around the circle roadway of the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre at 7:30 p.m. on the last Wednesday of every month.
“(The Northern Lights initiative) was designed to assist people in their healing process,” said Thunder Bay Police Service Insp. Al McKenzie. “When emergency first responders often bring people to the hospital, it’s generally under traumatic conditions; it can be people who are struggling with getting well or young people who feel very vulnerable.
“This effort is to help them understand that first responders are there for them, we are trying to make them feel that they still have support.”
There’s been no shortage of enthusiasm from participating agencies, which includes: Thunder Bay Police Service, Thunder Bay Fire Rescue, Superior North EMS, Ontario Provincial Police, Anishinabek Police Service, CN Police, CP Police and East Gorham Fire and Rescue. The participating emergency services worked in collaboration with the Health Sciences Centre.
The parade of emergency vehicles provided an interesting and unique view from inside the hospital.
“A few of us were standing outside and we saw the reflection of all those lights in the windows of the building and it kind of reminded me of a Christmas parade,” said Keith Taylor, TBRHSC Patient and Family Advisory Council co-chair.
“We retreated into the warmth of the lobby … and it just so happened that there were children sitting in the lobby and they looked out with a little bit of wonder in their eyes and smiles on their faces.”
Taylor added that that initiative like the Northern Lights project are extra special because it shows that organizations outside of the hospital are thinking about the well being of the patients.
“It really makes us feel like this is our hospital,” Taylor said. “It belongs to all of us, including the people driving those vehicles with the lights on. This is our hospital and they’re just giving back to their hospital and making somebody’s day a little brighter. It’s a win-win.”
