WESTLOCK — Dozens of patients and staff at the Westlock Healthcare Centre were left asking questions Thursday morning, Dec. 14, when an unfolding incident caused an immediate, temporary evacuation of the building.
Westlock RCMP responded to a call at the Westlock Healthcare Centre at 9:30 a.m. after the hospital engaged an emergency response when a man seeking medical attention revealed what was believed to be a grenade.
The ensuing uncertainty left many people on site bewildered and asking questions as things unfolded.
One of them was long-time Westlock resident Troy Martinson, who was at the hospital for some routine bloodwork.
“It all happened so quickly. Two officers that came in … said we need everyone to evacuate the building,” said Martinson.
“Everyone just got up and made their way towards the door and the nurses were (saying), 'Please everyone, we have to get out as quickly as we can.' So at that point a lot of questions were going through everyone’s mind, I’m sure, and moments later we were told we needed to muster over by the muster point at the south entrance.”
While he did not notice anything unusual when he first walked into the hospital that day, shortly after arriving Martinson said he and others in line were told to have a seat while nurses at the registration desk huddled around, he said.
Then the situation quickly escalated.
“When you see two officers come in the front doors and they’re yelling at you to evacuate the building, it was confusing,” said Martinson. “I wasn’t exactly scared because I didn’t realize what was going on at that point … there was a lot of confusion going on by the people coming out (of the hospital) and nobody knew exactly what was going on.”
It was the first evacuation situation that Martinson had ever experienced in Westlock.
“I’ve lived in Westlock for 30-some years now and I can’t even recall if that’s ever happened,” he said.
