In a Watershed
Moment
CHARTWELL STICKS TOGETHER AS A FAMILY
It was an event no one could have
seen coming: a pipe on an upper floor
burst, resulting in a rapid deluge
powerful enough to flood several
floors of the retirement community.
Staff leapt into action, contacting
emergency services and beginning a
safe evacuation.
In all, 93 residents and pets were
evacuated by Chartwell Chateau
Cornwall staff and the Cornwall Fire
Department. Gathered in buses,
watching and waiting for emergency
personnel to give the all-clear, they
received the news: the damage was
too extensive for them to return home.
Presented with a challenge bigger
than anything they’d faced before,
staff quickly made a plan, supported
in every aspect by Chartwell’s corpo-
rate resources.
“Our Critical Incident Command team
at corporate office was able
to take over the work of arranging
meals, transportation, housing and all
of the billing details so that the staff
could focus on making the residents
feel at home in their temporary
setting,” says Steve Vallevand, Senior
Vi c e P re s i d e n t , R e t i re m e n t
Operations.
For Director of Regional Operations
Amy Steele, the immediate response
of managers from across the region
coming out to support their
colleagues and the residents was a
proud and defining moment.
“When everyone is focused on a
common goal, ours being ensuring
that our residents had an exceptional
experience, it is amazing what can
happen even during the least likely of
times,” she says.
Arrangements were made for resi-
dents to relocate to Chartwell
McConnell Retirement Residence,
to local conference venue the Nav
Centre, or to stay with family. Many
assumed residents would disperse in
different directions; however, the
story unfolded another way.
NOBODY
wanted to split up.
Our residents and
staff are like one
BIG FAMILY.
– Jasmin Parker,
General Manager
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