Shared on behalf of Ryan Sears, Director, Capital & Facility Services

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Please be advised the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (at the 980 Oliver Road location only) will execute a planned impairment of its entire Overhead Paging System and Fire System on Thursday, March 12, 2026 for approximately eight (8) hours – starting at 11:00 PM to facilitate project related work for the MDRD Renovation. 

Our Facilities and Security teams will be enacting and overseeing our Fire System Impairment and Fire Watch procedures, as included in the Fire Plan for our site. 

During this impairment, no Hot Work will be authorized. Further, any high risk work that could result in an elevated risk of fire, heat, or smoke should not be planned – please review this within your department and plan to discontinue high-risk activities (i.e. construction, repairs, hot showers, etc).  Should you observe activities that may be of concern during the impairment, contact your Supervisor or Manager to discuss. 

While the Hospital’s Overhead Paging System is out of service, alternate measures will be applied to notify the organization of Emergency Codes and Alerts. Staff will continue to activate all Codes using extension 55. Please see the attached policy for guidance.  

Key things to remember during an outage:

1. Regularly monitor email for emergency code and alert notices issued by Switchboard.
2. Respond to emergency codes and alerts through alternate communication measures, e.g., paging, radios, emails, runners, etc., as appropriate – and activate response as required.
3. Be vigilant in reviewing department activities during the period of fire system impairment.
4. Clinical leads are encouraged to collaborate with their teams to consider alternatives to paging patients back to units, such as collecting Patients’ mobile phone numbers.

Further, in event of fire during this impairment, please execute all steps as outlined in Code Red Policy (EMER-30) and your area sub plan. Should you discover a fire – “REACT”:

R – Remove persons in immediate danger
E – Ensure doors are closed to confine fire or smoke
A – Activate the fire alarm by pulling the nearest pull station
C– Call Switchboard at Ext 55 to report the location of the fire
T– Try to extinguish the fire if trained to do so or continue to evacuate 

The contractor for the fire system work is Troy Life & Fire Safety. The Building System Operator is onsite and reachable at cell number 807-629-7005. Further support will be provided by Security (684-6509) and the on call Facility Manager (cell number 807-629-3119) as required. 

If you have any questions or concerns regarding the above, please contact Ryan Sears. 

Obituary via Arbor Memorial

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Ms. Lori-Anne Byerley, 57, passed away peacefully on Friday, February 6, 2026, in her home on Surprise Lake, after a long-fought battle with kidney disease.

Born in Thunder Bay at the Port Arthur General Hospital, Lori was a very well-educated young woman who enjoyed her many years spent in university, graduating University of Manitoba with Bachelors in English and Arts as well as graduating Lakehead University with Masters in Social Work. Lori started her career of social work in Manitouwadge then moved her life back to Thunder Bay and cherished her career as a social worker at TBRHSC in the Renal Department. She loved and was loved by her patients and will be missed by everyone who knew her.

Lori loved to travel the world, bringing her family to see France, Ukraine, Poland, Portugal, Mexico, Peru, Cuba and even walking the Camino de Santiago in Spain. She was very active in her life with boxing, swimming, driving, and was even a yoga instructor. She enjoyed camping, fishing, canning and spending her time with family, especially being outdoors. Lori was an avid reader and loved to write. She also enjoyed gardening and cooking for loved ones. Lori was happiest being surrounded by her friends and family at the dinner table for holidays. Lori was a great Mom above all and was very proud of her children.

Lori will forever be missed and lovingly remembered by her two sons Jesse and Chase Halka (John); her mother Mary Byerley; her two sisters Lisa & Michell; her cousin James; uncle Don and two special aunties Kathy and Carol.

She was Predeceased by her father Wayne Byerley and her grandparents Mush, Vi, and grandma Anne whom she missed dearly.

Lori’s family would like to thank the Thunder Bay Regional for all their support during Lori-Anne’s long fight against chronic kidney disease.

Funeral service for Lori-Anne will take place on Wednesday, March 11 in the R. Leino Memorial Chapel of Harbourview Funeral Centre beginning at 11:00 am with visitation at 10:00 am.

The family requests in lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Kidney Foundation of Canada.

Please join Lakehead University’s Indigenous Students Association for their 36th Annual Powwow on March 13, 14, 15 at the Lakehead University Hanger. Everyone welcome!

Shared on behalf of Quality and Risk Management

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On Sunday, March 8, 2026, at 2:00 a.m., clocks will move forward one hour to 3:00 a.m. as we transition to Daylight Saving Time.

Accurate timekeeping is essential for maintaining safety and operational efficiency at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre. Precise time is critical not only for scheduling procedures and staffing, but also for accurate charting and medication administration.

At 2:00 a.m., all electronic clocks connected to the centralized system (including those in areas such as NICU, ICU, etc.) will automatically advance by one hour. Any final system adjustments are expected to be completed by 5:00 a.m. If any of these clocks have not updated by 8:00 a.m., please contact the Maintenance Department (ext. 6344).

Each department is responsible for updating the time on battery-operated clocks within their areas. Computers will automatically update to the correct time.

Please ensure that your personal watches and devices are updated accordingly and that any clocks within your area are adjusted promptly.

Congratulations to February’s Patient and Family Centered Care (PFCC) Shout Out Winners, Kristie Baxter and Emily Komoski.

Kristie Baxter, Rehab Assistant

Kristie Baxter is a rehab assistant with the Physiotherapy department and has been recognized for keeping patients’ needs at the forefront of her care. Kristie goes above and beyond to ensure her patients’ mobility goals are met, and encourages other members of the team to work collaboratively with patients and families. Her kindness and care are evident in the interactions she has with all patients, whether big or small.

Emily Komoski, Porter/Renal Aid

As a member of the Patient Porter team, Emily Komoski often interacts with patients and families while transporting them to and from tests or procedures. Emily has been recognized for her compassion towards each person she meets, keeping patient comfort and confidentiality at the core of how she participates in their care at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre.

We would also like to acknowledge all other TBRHSC staff who were nominated for this month’s PFCC Shout Outs. Congratulations to Rita Tosolini (RN, 2C), Jessica McAnulty (SW, Cancer Centre), Marissa Fazzari (2C/RAVE Coordinator), Lauren Hendren (NP, Cancer Centre) and Shijo Jose Prakash (RPN. TCU). Your care and compassion for our patients and families exemplifies PFCC within our organization by showing a commitment to communication, collaboration, dignity, and respect for all patients/families, enabling them to remain key participants in their own health.

Do you know someone in our organization who consistently demonstrates exceptional Patient and Family Centred Care (PFCC)? We want to hear about them!

Simply send a PFCC Shout Out email to TBRHSC.PFCC@tbh.net and include the staff member’s name, department, and a brief description of what they did that deserves recognition.

Let’s celebrate the people who make this a truly patient and family centred organization.

Shared on behalf of Capital and Facility Services

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Beginning on the evening of Friday, March 6, through to afternoon of Saturday, March 7, new LINAC equipment will be moved into the Cancer Centre, from the west side patient drop-off loop, through the Cancer Centre doors.

Please proceed with caution in this area. Do not cross barriers or use the exterior Cancer Centre entrance. Security Guards will be present to guide pedestrian and vehicular traffic.

Shared on behalf of Volunteer Services

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We are pleased to announce the recipients of this year’s Volunteer Student Award and Student Bursaries, generously funded by the Volunteer Association (Seasons Gift Shop) at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre.

These awards recognize students who have demonstrated exceptional dedication to volunteerism, leadership, and service within our organization for a minimum of one year. Through their commitment, compassion, and willingness to go above and beyond, this year’s recipients have made a meaningful and lasting impact.

The Volunteer Student Award celebrates not only the number of hours served, but also the spirit of generosity and community involvement that strengthens our organization. In addition, the Student Bursaries support recipients in pursuing their educational goals, reflecting the Volunteer Association’s ongoing commitment to investing in the future of our students.

We are proud to announce that this year’s Volunteer Student Award recipient is Moira Menard, who has been awarded $1,000 to support her nursing education.

• Louisa Gosgnach, Manager of Seasons Gift Shop (left) with Moira Menard (right).

The Volunteer Association also awarded four educational bursaries of $300 each to the following student volunteers as they continue their studies in the health care field:

• Elisa Huang

• Victoria Kerr

• Edelweiss Price (pictured below, right)

• Idongesit Usua (pictured below, right)

We extend our sincere congratulations to all of this year’s recipients and our heartfelt thanks to the Volunteer Association (Seasons Gift Shop) for their continued generosity and support.

All employee are automatically entered into the Big Prize draw to win. Human Resources will add an extra entry for participation in each of the following initiatives: iCare Impact Awards nominees and nominators, Long-Service recipients, and flu vaccine participants.

The winner will be announced on Friday, March 6.