Cariboo Chilcotin MLA Lorne Doerkson is responding to ER closures at Cariboo Memorial Hospital by hosting a rally on Friday, Aug. 2 in Williams Lake at Boitanio Park beginning at 5:30 p.m.
"I am doing this out of frustration," he told Black Press Media Monday, July 29.
"I have received so many calls and letters from people."
One of those was from the family of a 15-year-old girl who went into an anaphylactic shock due to a bee sting.
"The situation got very, very serious and the family quickly took her to Cariboo Memorial Hospital only to learn the ER was closed," he said. "They thought about driving north to Quesnel, but instead pulled into the ambulance station in Williams Lake and paramedics got her very quickly to 100 Mile House."
Doerkson said he spoke about the situation at the Williams Lake and District Chamber of Commerce meeting on Thursday, July 25 to let the community know as well.
During the Anahim Lake Stampede a woman who was injured made the trek to Williams Lake as well, only to learn the ER was closed that evening, Doerkson said.
She then went to 100 Mile House but was told to move on to Kamloops, he added.
"Had she known the hospital was closed in Williams Lake, she would have gone to Bella Coola for help."
Doerkson said he has invited Interior Health to attend the rally in order to listen to the community's concerns.
Dates of ER closures in 2024 have been Feb 12, April 29, May 27, June 5, July 4, 5, 6, 7, 25, 26 and 27 and sometimes the closures have been announced very close to when they are happening.
"There has to be a better way to warn residents," Doerkson said. "I also want to know what is the plan going forward? I keep asking but no one is listening to me."
He anticipates a "robust" turnout for the rally.
Realizing it is the beginning of the long weekend, he decided to go ahead because it is too important to wait, he said.
"Think about it. We are an industrial town, people recreate here in the back woods and we have rodeos in our region. Then we have forest fires and our hospital ER shuts down."
