Sask. sought help from several U.S. states before asking Ottawa for ICU specialists

The Saskatchewan government reached out to several U.S. states for COVID-19 assistance before it made a formal request to the Canadian federal government on Monday.

Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency president Marlo Pritchard said the request to Ottawa is for critical care nurses, respiratory therapists and perfusionists, who control cardiac bypass machines during surgery. 

During a media briefing on Monday, Pritchard said the Provincial Emergency Operations Centre, which is co-ordinating  Saskatchewan's COVID-19 response, also asked for help from American states and some provinces.

"The decision was made this morning to ask the federal government because we were unable to get it from our emergency measures partners throughout North America," Pritchard said.

He said Saskatchewan, Alberta, Manitoba and Ontario belong to the Northern Emergency Management Assistance Compact, alongside Illinois, Montana, Indiana, Michigan, New York, Minnesota, Ohio, North Dakota, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

"To date, Montana, Michigan, North Dakota and Pennsylvania have indicated they cannot provide resources. We also know that Alberta and Manitoba are facing a similar situation regarding COVID as Saskatchewan," Pritchard said.

On Monday, Saskatchewan announced it was sending six patients with COVID in ICU to Ontario over the next three days.

Premier Scott Moe said Monday that planning for transferring patients had been going on for "a number of days" and that patients will be transferred to ensure they receive "the very best possible care that they can." 

Pritchard said Saskatchewan has also reached out through the International Emergency Management Assistance Memorandum of Understanding, which includes eastern states and provinces, and the Pacific Northwest Emergency Management Agreement, which includes western states, British Columbia and Yukon.

"We have sent requests to much of North America to identify any ICU skilled workers or perfusionists that may be deployable to Saskatchewan."

Pritchard said the province has to be "realistic" about its request because there are only a limited number of people who are "trained for [those] critical care supports in ICUs."

He said what the federal government can send as far as resources may help staff an additional two to five ICU beds.

As of Monday, Saskatchewan had 85 COVID-19 patients in ICU. The province's normal total ICU bed complement is 79. 

Public Safety Minister Bill Blair's office confirmed to CBC News that the federal government received Saskatchewan's request and is currently reviewing it to co-ordinate supports "as soon as possible."

The federal government said a formal request for assistance is made "when an emergency event overwhelms or threatens to overwhelm the resources of a province or territory and federal government help is needed to effectively support the impacted region."

According to the federal government's request for assistance guide, "the Canadian Armed Forces should be considered a 'last resort' option, and should not replace solid planning."

On Monday, Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness approved a request by the Northwest Territories for infection prevention and control, contact tracing and COVID-19 testing efforts. 

The Canadian Red Cross is providing one operations lead and nine epidemic prevention control specialists to N.W.T.