Hospitals put Code Orange into effect after plane crash lands in Halifax

HALIFAX – An emergency physician in Halifax said a Code Orange was put into effect early Sunday morning as area hospitals prepared to receive injured passengers and crew following the crash landing of a flight at Halifax Stanfield International Airport.

Dr. Carl Jarvis was one of the doctors called in to work at the Halifax Infirmary after Air Canada Flight 624 had what the airline describes as a “hard landing” and skidded off the runway.

READ MORE: Air Canada Flight 624 crash lands in Halifax

“The Code Orange was implemented because we want to be prepared for whatever comes through the door,” he said.

Code Orange means a hospital is preparing for mass casualties.

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At least 23 passengers and crew were sent to hospital, with Capital Health facilities admitting 13 — six at the Halifax Infirmary, four at the Hants Community Hospital and three at Dartmouth General. Eight were admitted at Colchester East Hants Health Centre in Truro, N.S. and two were sent to the IWK Health Centre in Halifax.

READ MORE: A look at Air Canada’s safety record

“By around three o’clock in the morning, or 3:30, it became apparent we had received as many of the casualties as we were going to,” said Jarvis.

A short time later, the Code Orange was lifted.

“Most of the injuries were minor,” he said, describing the injuries he saw as sprains, strains and cuts. “There were people who had cuts, and, for example, you can have a relatively small cut on your face and can end up with a lot of blood from that, and that was the type of injuries that we had.”

By Sunday afternoon, Air Canada had confirmed only one of the passengers and crew remained in hospital.

IN PHOTOS: Air Canada plane skids off runway at Halifax airport

Jarvis saw photos of the damaged plane and said he believes passengers and crew members were lucky to walk away with minor injuries. He also praised the work emergency crews did during triage.

“It could definitely have been a lot worse,” he said. “I think everybody is breathing a huge sigh of relief that we didn’t end up with a real catastrophe.”