Burnaby firefighters provide Royal Columbian Hospital with an easier breath

New Westminster, B.C. – {April 30, 2020} – The Burnaby Firefighters Charitable Society has stepped forward with funding to support Royal Columbian Hospital’s care during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The firefighters have made a gift of $31,411.42 to help the hospital safely intubate patients. The funding will purchase three Glidescopes, which are devices that provide a consistently clear view of a critically injured patient’s trachea (windpipe) and allows for quick intubation to assist with breathing.

“The Burnaby Firefighters Charitable Society enjoys stepping up and assisting great causes like RCH,” says Jeff Clark, President, Local 323, Burnaby Firefighters Association. “We are in these unprecedented times, and our members saw an opportunity to help. While they can’t be hands on, they can provide an instrument to help with safety precautions. They were all in.”

“This will allow our hospital team to safely intubate patients outside of the Emergency Department & ICU, while creating extra distance from the patient to decrease the risk of infection,” notes Royal Columbian Hospital Foundation President and CEO Jeff Norris.

Royal Columbian is one of three hospitals within Fraser Health that have been designated primary COVID sites. Royal Columbian Hospital Foundation has created a COVID-19 Response Fund to meet the various needs of the hospital during the pandemic. The Foundation is working closely with the hospital to identify and meet the needs as they arise.

Where BC Fights

As BC’s leading critical care hospital, one in three British Columbians rely on Royal Columbian Hospital. This is where BC fights for hope, and for life. We are the only hospital in BC with trauma, cardiac, neurosciences, high-risk maternity and neonatal intensive care on one site. We look after some of the most seriously ill and injured patients, and we do it with the support of donors like you.

Since 1978, donors to Royal Columbian Hospital Foundation have helped fund priority equipment needs, facility enhancements, research, education and innovation at Royal Columbian Hospital.