Behind the scenes with the Facilities Management team of the Lachine Hospital

It is no secret that the fifth and sixth waves of the COVID-19 pandemic had a major impact and this was certainly the case for the Facilities Management team of the Lachine Hospital. During the 5th wave, the hospital was first designated a cold zone to keep COVID infected patients away, especially from the Camille Lefebvre Pavilion, but the situation changed rapidly. To help prepare the hospital and to reduce the spread of COVID-19, the small team from Facilities Management prepared a 16-bed red zone in Salle A and B of the Camille Lefebvre Pavilion (CLP) and also converted the 5th floor of the hospital and certain rooms of the CLP into negative pressure rooms. These rooms are essential to fight the spread of COVID-19 since they filter out bacteria thanks to a HEPA filter. 

Above and beyond the call of duty

Regardless of their professions, the team of painters, plumbers, groundkeepers, maintenance workers, carpenters and electricians collaborated to accomplish this transformation in record time. “Not only did they go above the call of duty; they were always willing to help out their fellow colleagues. They have been essential in getting all the work done in the hospital throughout the pandemic,” recalls Dominique LeRouzes, manager of Facilities Management at the Lachine Hospital. 

Dominique says the team meets early every morning and can be depended on to come in early, stay late and work on weekends when needed. During the fifth wave, she was astonished to see her whole team present every day. “Even during the holidays, the whole team would show up, even on their days off they would come in for the morning meeting. The facilities team knows that you accomplish more together than alone.”

The team at the Lachine Hospital couldn’t have done it all without the help of staff from other departments. Dominique says everyone works together, noting the collaborative efforts of Housekeeping Services, Security and Information Services who worked diligently to install the nursing station in the temporary COVID unit of the Camille Lefebvre Pavilion.

Unsung heroes

She says Facilities Management often works in the shadows to ensure that everything operates smoothly so that others can do their jobs. “They are often the unsung heroes. They are not talked about in the news and they don’t get the premiums but they always do the work with a smile,” mentions Dominique.

Dominique says her team is eager to help out without giving it a second thought. For her, that is what constitutes the strength of her team.