Clearwater emergency department to temporarily close for 25 hours

CLEARWATER, B.C. — For the first time in nearly two months, the emergency department in Clearwater will be temporarily closed. 

Interior Health says emergency services at Dr. Helmcken Memorial Hospital will be unavailable from 7:00 a.m. Sunday (Sept. 13) to 8:00 a.m. Monday (Sept. 14). 

In a news release issued Saturday afternoon, Interior Health says all other inpatient services will continue at Dr. Helmcken Memorial Hospital during the 25-hour closure. 

Patients in the Clearwater area in need of emergency care are asked to visit Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops. Residents in need of life-threatening emergency care, for ailments such as chest pains, difficulty breathing and severe bleeding, are also asked to call 911 for transport to the nearest available and appropriate facility.