Cariboo Evacuation

July 27, 2017: Update on Williams Lake health services
July 24, 2017: SMOKY SKIES BULLETIN ENDED FOR VALEMOUNT AND SURROUNDING AREA
July 11, 2017: SMOKY SKIES BULLETIN EXPANDED FOR Cariboo, Prince George and area, Bulkley Valley, and the Lakes District (eastern border only)

• 3105 15th Avenue (hours of operation 8:00am to 7:45pm)
• 1699 Spruce Street (hours of operation 8:00am to 7:45pm)
• 2030 5th Avenue (hours of operation 8:00am to 7:15pm)
  

• Family members can call the IH Patient Care Quality Office (PCQO) for information about relocations. The toll-free number is 1-877-442-2001.
• Interior Health (IH) has established a call line for families whose loved ones have been relocated from health facilities, due to wildfire activity in the Cariboo and Thompson-Nicola regions.

From pets to livestock, the evacuation effort is more than just about people.  

PETS

ANIMALS AND LIVESTOCK

In Prince George, the Agriplex at the Exhibition Park is providing boarding space for animals and livestock. It provides facilities for a wide range of livestock, such as horses, goats, chickens, and pigs.

If you need to arrange livestock for pick-up, please contact Chelsea Wallach at 250-981-3499 to coordinate transport.

Billeting:
If you are looking for a billet to house or move animals affected by the wildfires, search for animal billeting resources in your area through this interactive map, provided by BC Animal Emergency Group. 

For billeted horses, the Horse Council of BC is requesting for horses to be registered through creating an online profile on the Horse Council of BC website. Horse Council BC is facilitating a central registry in order to help with this effort and has created a horse intake recording form to aid in monitoring horses displaced by the wildfires. The horse intake form is to be used by individuals who are not registered with an organized evacuation centre or regulated group and that are hauling or housing horses that have been displaced by the wildfires. Registration is required to receive direct financial aid or delivery of hay or supplies. If you have evacuated horses at your property and need hay or supplies, please contact the Horse Council of BC.

Travel permits:

INSURANCE & FINANCIAL SERVICES:
The Insurance Bureau of Canada offers information and resources for evacuees in regards to insurance. For further information, contact the IBC Customer Information Centre by calling 1-844-227-5422 or email askibcwest@ibc.ca.

Evacuees can also visit these insurance or brokerage offices in Prince George:

• Western Financial Group (located at 790 Central St. E)
• Hub International (located at 3055 Massey Drive)
• BCAA (located at 2324 Ferry Avenue)
  
  They provide a number of services, including setting up new claims and issuing emergency evacuation cheques. 

• difficulty in breathing; 
• chest pain or discomfort; 
• sudden onset of a cough; or 
• irritation of airways. 

• People with heart or lung conditions may be more sensitive to the effects of smoke and should watch for any change in symptoms that may be due to smoke exposure. If any symptoms are noted, affected individuals should take steps to reduce their exposure to smoke and if necessary see their physician. People with symptoms should go to their health care provider, walk in clinic, or emergency department depending on severity of symptoms.
• Use common sense regarding outdoor physical activity – if your breathing becomes difficult or uncomfortable, stop or reduce the activity.
  
• Stay cool and drink plenty of fluids.
• Smoke levels may be lower indoors; however, levels of smoke particles will still be increased. If you stay indoors, be aware of your symptoms.
• Consider visiting a location like a shopping mall with cooler filtered air. Keep in mind that staying indoors may help you stay cool and provide some relief from the smoke. However, many air conditioning systems do not filter the air or improve indoor air quality.
• Reduce indoor pollution sources such as smoking or burning other materials.
• You may be able to reduce your exposure to smoke by moving to cleaner air. Conditions can vary dramatically by area and elevation.
• Residents with asthma or other chronic illness should activate their asthma or personal care plan.
• Pay attention to local air quality reports; air quality may be poor even though smoke may not be visible.
• Commercially available HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) filters can further reduce poor indoor air quality near the device.
• Maintaining good overall health is a good way to prevent health effects resulting from short-term exposure to air pollution.
  Source: Interior Health
  
  More information
  
  For general information about smoke and your health, contact HealthLink BC available toll-free, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 8-1-1.
  

HEALTH SERVICES:

Community health clinics in Prince George with extended hours for evacuees:
Anyone displaced related to the fire situation is encouraged to seek health care attention from the following sites:

Nechako Medical Clinic (Extended hours)
Located in the Spruceland Shopping Mall - 761 Central Street
Hours: (subject to change) 
Monday – Friday 1:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. 
Saturday 9:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. 
Sunday 10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Salveo Medical Clinic (Extended hours)
Located in the Real Canadian Superstore - 2155 Ferry Avenue
Hours: (subject to change) 
Monday – Friday 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. 
Sunday 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. 

If you are feeling unwell, remember you can call HealthLink BC at 8-1-1, a free-of-charge provincial health information and advice phone line available in British Columbia.

PHARMACY SERVICES:

Displaced residents who are running low or need help filling prescriptions can go to any community pharmacy in any town across British Columbia. Pharmacists can access a patient’s PharmaNet profile, dispense emergency refills or provide an emergency medication without a patient needing to visit a doctor’s office, a clinic, or hospital. 

Pharmacists from pharmacies across Prince George and the Cariboo region are on hand to provide new medications and over-the-counter medication and help answer questions from patients about filling prescriptions. Pharmacists will work with a patient’s insurance provider, as required, and PharmaNet to access a patient’s medication history. Individuals who need emergency supplies are advised to bring as much information as they can, such as a piece of identification, or an old bottle of medication or an inhaler to the site. However, pharmacists can help any evacuated patient, no matter what resources or information they provide.

• Forest fires and air quality are affecting mail and parcel delivery in certain communities in British Columbia. Canada Post has put contingency measures in place to serve the residents of British Columbia displaced by the fires. 
• Canada Post has created service alerts for affected communities in British Columbia:
  
• Red alerts - No mail or parcel delivery. All mail and parcels will be held securely. 
• Yellow alerts - Every effort is being made to deliver mail and parcels; however, some customer may not receive delivery today. Mail and parcels that can't be delivered will be held securely. 
• Green alerts - Mail delivery has been restored following a red or yellow alert.