Bomb Threat at Saskatoon Hospital Ends with No ExplosivesBomb Threat at Saskatoon Hospital Ends with No Explosives Saskatoon, SK – The Saskatchewan Health Authority reports that regular operations have resumed at Royal University Hospital and the Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital after a bomb threat was investigated. On Wednesday afternoon, Saskatoon police responded to a reported bomb threat at the adjacent hospitals. Police found a man in a vehicle suspected of having an explosive device. For over two hours, the hospitals were on lockdown, and non-urgent medical appointments were canceled. Police, fire, and ambulance personnel were on the scene. Investigation revealed that the man did not possess an explosive. He was detained under the Mental Health Act, and a search of the vehicle found no threat to public safety. At 2:30 p.m., police gave the all-clear, and the lockdown was lifted. Hospital services were restored by 2:45 p.m. The Saskatchewan Health Authority commended staff and physicians for their response to the threat. Saskatchewan Health Authority staff is trained to respond to “code black” emergencies, which include bomb threats. Protocols involve searching for suspicious objects, notifying police, and evacuating if necessary. Bomb threats in Saskatoon are rare but have occurred in the past. In 2018, a woman was jailed for threatening letters and suspicious packages to schools, businesses, and hospitals. In 2017, a man exploded propane tanks at the provincial courthouse, causing damage. In 2015, a WestJet flight bound for Edmonton was diverted to Saskatoon due to a bomb threat.
Saskatoon police and the hazmat unit responded to a bomb threat at Royal University Hospital on Wednesday. A code black was declared at RUH and Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital, placing the buildings on lockdown. Photo taken in Saskatoon, Sask. on Wednesday, July 17, 2024. — Michelle Berg/Saskatoon StarPhoenix
Julia Peterson
Saskatoon StarPhoenix
The Saskatchewan Health Authority reports that regular operations have resumed at the Royal University Hospital and the Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital in Saskatoon after a bomb threat was reported.
Shortly after noon on Wednesday, Saskatoon police reported they were responding to an “ongoing incident” at the adjacent hospitals and advised people to avoid the area.
At the hospital, police reported that they found “a man in a vehicle believed to possibly have an explosive device outside the ambulance bay.”
For more than two hours, hospitals were on lockdown and patients requiring emergency medical care were sent to the emergency rooms of St. Paul’s Hospital or Saskatoon City Hospital. Non-urgent medical appointments at the affected hospitals were cancelled and are being rescheduled.
Meanwhile, Saskatoon Police patrol officers and members of the Emergency Response Team, Tactical Support Unit, Canine Squad and Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit, along with fire, emergency services and ambulance personnel, arrived on the scene.
“Continued investigation revealed that the 47-year-old man (in the vehicle) was not in possession of an explosive and that, after continued negotiations, he voluntarily exited the vehicle and was detained by police under the Mental Health Act without further incident,” police said.
“A search of the vehicle found nothing that could be considered a threat to public safety.”
At 2:30 p.m., police gave the all-clear, meaning the threat had gone and the lockdown had been lifted.
Less than 15 minutes later, the Saskatchewan Health Authority reported that all hospital services had been restored.
“The SHA expresses its deepest appreciation to our staff and physicians for their prompt activation of appropriate emergency protocols, as well as to patients and the public for their support and understanding during the disruption,” the SHA said in a statement Wednesday afternoon.
“The SHA also extends its thanks to the Saskatoon Police Service, Saskatoon Fire Department and EMS for their support in responding to this situation.”
Within the Saskatchewan Health Authority, staff are trained to respond to a “code black” – which involves bomb threats, the discovery of suspicious packages or objects in the hospital, or actual bomb explosions for which no prior warning was received – by following a standard set of procedures.
Staff will assist in searching their area of the hospital for suspicious objects, notify police as soon as police and/or RCMP officers arrive on scene, and “if an evacuation is warranted, remove all clients, staff, and visitors as quickly as possible to a location away from the threatened area.”
Bomb threats in Saskatoon are rare, but not unheard of.
In 2018, a woman was jailed after sending “dozens” of threatening letters and suspicious packages to schools, businesses and hospitals in Saskatoon. Although none of the packages exploded, prosecutor Jennifer Claxton-Viczko later said the threats caused “widespread panic,” disrupted classrooms and delayed cancer treatments.
In 2017, a man was arrested after he set off an explosion with propane tanks at the provincial courthouse in Saskatoon. No injuries were reported, but the courthouse itself was damaged.
In 2015, a WestJet flight bound for Edmonton was forced to divert to Saskatoon Airport due to a bomb threat. Again, no one was injured.
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