Communications problems hampered response to northern B.C. bus crash
A legislator says poor cell and radio coverage that slowed emergency crews is a common issue on remote highways.
MACKENZIE · A shuttle bus crash that injured 20 people in northern British Columbia has highlighted severe communication gaps that hindered the emergency response. The bus, chartered by a contractor for a data centre company, went off Highway 39 near Mackenzie on Wednesday in an area with no cellphone reception. Corporal Jennifer Cooper with the North District RCMP said the site also had poor satellite coverage. First responders encountered difficulties with radio communications, and information from the remote location was slow to reach authorities during the initial response.
What was the outcome for the injured passengers?
Northern Health reported that 15 of the 20 people treated after the crash have been discharged from its facilities. Four patients were admitted to hospital, and one person was transported by air ambulance to another medical centre. The health authority stated it would not provide further updates on patient status to protect their privacy. BC Emergency Health Services dispatched 12 ambulances, split evenly between ground and air units, to the scene.
How did the emergency medical response proceed?
According to BC Emergency Health Services, an air ambulance transported one patient to hospital in serious condition. Six other patients were taken by ground ambulance to a hospital and then airlifted to another facility. Of those six, two were in serious condition and four were in serious but stable condition. Another 13 patients in stable condition were transported by bus to a hospital, accompanied by advanced-care paramedics. The service did not immediately respond to questions about whether the dispatched crews experienced communications issues. Ian Tait with Ambulance Paramedics of BC said problems with radio and cellphone reception in rural zones are a frequent complaint from the union's roughly 6,000 members. "We struggle with communications like a lot of first responders," Tait said, noting that some paramedics in remote areas still use analogue radio systems with unreliable tower connections. Corporal Cooper confirmed the crash occurred where cell service is absent and satellite signals are weak.
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How widespread is the lack of highway cell service in B.C.?
The provincial government says approximately 38 per cent of British Columbia's highways lack any cell service. Limited access to reliable power is cited as a major obstacle to expanding coverage. Kiel Giddens, the MLA for Prince George-Mackenzie, said cell signal drops off quickly when travelling south from Mackenzie, about 180 kilometres north of Prince George. "It's something that northerners deal with on a regular basis and something that I'm certainly familiar with," Giddens said Thursday.
Is there a plan to address the coverage gaps?
In 2023, the provincial NDP government committed $75 million to a program administered by the Northern Development Initiative Trust. The funding aims to expand cellular service along an additional 550 kilometres of highway by 2027. Giddens said that while northern residents have adapted to poor coverage, the situation needs improvement. The communications breakdown during Wednesday's crash, he said, exemplifies a familiar and dangerous problem for those living in the region.
With files from CityNews, The Globe and Mail and Castanet