RDKB says, swap out that smoky woodstove and get a good rebate
The Regional District of Kootenay Boundary (RDKB) wants residents to change out old, smoky wood stoves for cleaner appliances including heat pumps, gas or pellet stoves or cleaner burning wood stoves. The RDKB has put a total of $6,000 toward the 2018 Wood Stove Exchange Program and $5,000 is still available to fund rebates...
Interior Health CEO to retire this fall
Interior Health’s Board Chair Doug Cochrane announced today that president and CEO Chris Mazurkewich has provided the board of directors with his letter of resignation, expressing his decision to retire at the end of October. “Chris Mazurkewich has spent nearly three decades working to build a strong, sustainable health system...
Can your smart phone save your life?
A new smartphone app is set to turn B.C. bystanders into potential life-savers when a sudden cardiac arrest occurs in a public place. BC Emergency Health Services (BCEHS) launched the free PulsePoint application today throughout the province. It provides vital information in the case of cardiac arrest, where minutes count in...
Telehealth: A boon for rural patients?
Getting to see your specialist for important health care in rural BC can be challenging, especially in the winter. Seeing your doctor through video conferencing can be the best option for many people. Take expectant mom Natalie Santano, who used telehealth video conferencing technology to connect with her specialist in Nelson....
UPDATED: Air Quality Advisory ENDED for Grand Forks
The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy, in collaboration with the Interior Health Authority, has ended the Air Quality Advisory issued on January 13 for Grand Forks due to the high concentrations of fine particulates. Changing weather conditions are expected to further improve air quality over the next few ...
Special Public Avalanche Warning Issued
Avalanche Canada and Parks Canada are issuing a Special Public Avalanche Warning for recreational backcountry users, in effect immediately until the end of day Monday, January 15. The warning applies to the following forecast regions: Lizard Range & Flathead, South Rockies, Purcells, Kootenay Boundary, South & North...
Protecting loved ones and staying healthy over the holidays
The festive season is a time of celebrating with loved ones. Unfortunately, holiday mingling brings together people AND germs. At this time of year it is not unusual for health facilities to experience outbreaks of gastrointestinal illness (GI) and respiratory infections. Both are highly contagious and common in the community...
Editorial Rant: Are we stupid, or what?
We have more fatal crashes than any other region. Are more drivers in the Southern Interior region of BC notably more stupid than drivers elsewhere in BC? Do so many of us here just not have a clue about winter driving? Or are we so much unhealthier that we have that many more medical crises causing car crashes? The statistics...
IH expands meningococcal disease immunization clinics in the Okanagan
Thursday, Interior Health announced they are offering immunization clinics throughout the Okanagan for individuals in grades 9-12 and persons aged 15-19 years old who do not attend school. During the past six months, Interior Health has seen an increasing number of cases of meningococcal disease in this age group, and as a result is declaring […]
Editorial Rant: What are we celebrating? And how do we behave?
A plea for civility in the law, politics and our everyday lives Mid-winter is approaching, with our various seasonal celebrations: Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, Winter Solstice, and maybe even Festivus? We celebrate our religious and / or ethnic affiliations; we celebrate the return of the sun for longer periods of time each...
