Fighting for emergency care

About 40 people attend rally in inclement weather to draw attention to situation in Middleton

jason.malloy @saltwire.com @JasonMa47772994

Wayne Atwater is concerned with continued emergency department closures at Soldiers Memorial Hospital in Middleton.

The Morden resident, who is almost 70, was one of about 40 people who attended a rally in support of the department on Jan. 31. He said every minute is critical during an emergency.

“My best-before date is over, so now I’ve got to get here as quick as I can when something goes wrong with me,” he said. “It’s a heck of a lot easier for me to come to Middleton then it is to drive all the way to Kentville. It’s probably about a 10-minute difference in time, so … if I am having the big one, I want to get here as quick as I can and I want … somebody here … to look after me.”

Albert Johnson, who has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), said the community is fighting to keep its emergency department and have it restored to 24/7 service.

“We’re trying to draw attention to the plight we find ourselves in here in Middleton,”

said Johnson, who has lived in the town for 50 years. “This is a real emergency.”

Concerned residents met in January to discuss the situation in Annapolis County and decided to hold the rally and create a Facebook group (Emergency Services Crisis Response). The rally was held

under snowy conditions after being cancelled by weather the previous week.

“Had it not been for the snow, I think there would be many, many here today,” said Nictaux’s Coleen Llewellyn. “We need to support this. If we just let it happen, we’ll never get it back.”

Due to the weather, organizers advised people driving a distance to get to Middleton to stay home. Jennie Bignell, one of the rally organizers, said she was pleased with the turnout.

“It just goes to show how frustrated all of the people are and the support that we have

from the people,” she said. “It’s unbelievable.”

Annapolis MLA Carman Kerr wasn’t surprised with the turnout.

“You could give them -40 C and more snow, and they’d still show up.”

JASON MALLOY Nictaux’s Coleen Llewellyn attended a rally to push for 24-hour, seven-day a week emergency department coverage at Soldiers Memorial Hospital in Middleton. “I am here to get our ER back because it’s a long drive to Kentville or Yarmouth,” she said.