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Regina emergency rooms see influx of patients with weather-related injuries

Freezing rain has blanketed the city's streets and sidewalks, and is partially responsible for at least 149 patients landing in emergency rooms.

Elective surgeries postponed due to surge of emergent, mostly orthopedic, surgeries

CBC News ·
Ice is blanketing streets in Regina after freezing rain began to fall Tuesday afternoon. (Ted Deller/CBC)

The recent weather has not been kind to Regina residents.

Freezing rain has blanketed the city's streets and sidewalks, and is partially responsible for at least 149 patients landing in emergency rooms.

There were 68 people at the ER at Pasqua Hospital and another 81 at Regina General on Tuesday night, "mainly due to injuries caused by weather conditions," according to the Saskatchewan Health Authority. 

As many as seven elective surgeries were also postponed Wednesday to accommodate a surge of emergent, mostly orthopedic, surgeries, including broken ankles, wrists and even noses, according to Glen Perchie, the health authority's executive director of emergency and emergency medical services. 

Several people were injured due to falls because of icy conditions. Sixteen people in Regina sought treatment for fractures on the morning of Jan. 10 alone, said the Saskatchewan Health Authority's Glen Perchie. (CBC News)

Incredibly icy conditions that caught people off-guard not only resulted in more injuries, but also resulted in extra staffing measures for ambulance services and in the operating room, he said.

"Fractured hips can be life-threatening for seniors, and the impact can be devastating," Perchie said. "Please be really careful — salt, shovel, sand and if you don't need to go outside, don't."

How you can stay safe while walking on icy streets

7 years ago
Duration 2:45
Dozens of people who have slipped on the ice in Saskatchewan are ending up in emergency wards. Geoff Fernie with the University of Toronto has tips for people dealing with slippery sidewalks.

Traffic collisions cause injuries

Across the city, there were 17 traffic collisions, three of which resulted in injuries. Regina police could not say if the crashes were directly due to the weather. 

As well, the city is reminding people to clear sidewalks to make walking down the street a little less treacherous. The city will handle sanding roads.

Freezing rain began to fall Tuesday afternoon and continued into the night, turning Regina's streets and sidewalks into slippery sheets that are still leading to falls and ice-related injuries. (Tyler Pidlubny/CBC)

If you would like sand — free of charge — you can pick some up at one of these locations:

  • Northgate Mall – 7th Avenue North and Lorne St.
  • Jack Hamilton Arena – 1010 McCarthy Blvd.
  • Albert Scott Community Centre – 1264 Athol St.
  • Cathedral Centre – 2900 13th Ave.
  • Al Ritchie – 2230 Lindsay St.
  • Murray Balfour Arena – 70 Massey Rd.
  • Glencairn Centre – 2626 East Dewdney Ave.
  • Sandra Schmirler Leisure Centre – 3130 Woodhams Dr.
  • South Leisure Centre – 222 Sunset Dr.

As a result of the ice, ice melter has been flying off store. shelves.

At the airport, a flight to Winnipeg scheduled to leave Wednesday morning was cancelled and multiple others were delayed.

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