The replacement of Big Prairie Bridge is becoming a matter of life-and-death urgency.In two separate incidents last month, women with life-threatening injuries were forced to endure extra wait times for ambulances due to the loss of the bridge on Twp. Rd. 302, which was destroyed by arson in October 2009.On Sept. 3, Diana Bouck was suffering from internal bleeding and multiple fractures after being bucked from her horse near her home on Water Valley North Road (Rge. Rd. 52).ìThe Carstairs ambulance took 59 minutes to arrive at my location due to GPS sending them to the Big Prairie Bridge Road first,î Bouck told the Gazette. ìNormally with the bridge in place the commute would take approximately 25 minutes doing the speed limit. Ambulances can go much faster.îìThe delay caused by the non-reconstruction of Big Prairie Bride could have cost me my life,î Bouck said.Arriving at the Foothills Medical Centre after a total of three hours travel without medication, Bouck, 49, was diagnosed with a lacerated spleen, punctured lung, two clavicle fractures and nine rib fractures. She spent 10 days in the trauma unit at Foothills and then two weeks in Sundre Hospital and Care Centre under pain management.Bouck said she had nothing but praise for the emergency responders who came to her assistance and saved her life, calling their conduct ìprofessional and compassionate.îìBut their duties were hampered and delayed by the bridge being out,î she added.The day after Bouck's accident, Kris Canaday was also thrown from a horse and suffered a punctured lung, broken ribs and abdominal injuries.Canaday called 911 and credits Cremona Fire and Rescue for acting on the previous day's mix-up and notifying the ambulance not to follow false GPS coordinates to the bridge site.But the absence of the bridge, Canaday said, meant it took an extra 15 minutes for the ambulance to reach her home off Big Prairie Road and an extra 15 minutes for the ambulance ride after she was picked up.ìIn my case it's more out of the way to come and get me,î said Canaday, 51, who spent almost six weeks in hospital being treated for her injuries.Canaday brought the incidents to light by writing Div. 2 Coun. Trish McKean, who read Canaday's letter at a recent council meeting,ìIf anyone at the county or provincial or federal level thinks that taking an extra 15 minutes to drive around isn't a big deal, I would invite them to drive on a spine board for an extra half hour, even if they are healthy,î Canaday wrote.More than just a convenience, she added, the bridge ìcan be a lifesaver.îìShe just wanted me to read this to everybody, so everybody's aware,î McKean told council. ìIt's not just time, it's for emergency purposes too, having to cope with not having a bridge.îThe bridge had originally been slated for replacement this year after county officials negotiated a deal with the province for each level of government to share 50 per cent of the estimated $1.6-million cost.In July, however, the lowest bid for the project came in at $2.8 million and, with the provincial share capped at $800,000, council voted to put it on hold for one year and re-tender it for a fall 2012 completion date.Short timelines due to delays obtaining permits limited the number of bids received and likely drove up costs, a consulting engineer advised the county.An updated cost estimate will be included as part of the 2012 budget deliberations.
