The Niagara Health System would like to thank all staff, physicians, patients and visitors for their cooperation and assistance following a threat at the St. Catharines Site which occurred this afternoon.
The hospital would also like to thank Niagara Regional Police, Niagara Emergency Medical Services and St. Catharines Fire Department for their quick response and expertise.
“The NHS Code Black protocol was enacted immediately, all steps were taken and we were able to give the ‘All Clear’ in just over an hour,” said President Suzanne Johnston. “We appreciate that a situation like this can create upset and concern, and everyone is to be commended for their professionalism and commitment to uninterrupted patient care.”
Visitors were asked to leave the building during the investigation. Normal hospital operations continued while a search of the building and properties took place. During this time, vigilance was heightened by all staff for anything unusual. Nothing was found during the search, and the All Clear was given at 3:20 p.m.
“We were really impressed with the way everyone worked so well together as a team and brought this matter to a successful conclusion so quickly,” said Dr. Johnston. “We would like to apologize to everyone who was inconvenienced by this unfortunate incident.”
Media contact:
Caroline Bourque Wiley, Manager, Communications, 905-378-4647 ext. 43113; cwiley@niagarahealth.on.ca.
