Indigenous led emergency training support staff has been helpful in calming first nation community members’ fears when evacuating due to forest fires or floods.
That’s from ISN Maskwa emergency planning coordinator Ernie Louttit. He says evacuations are treated like an unexpected gathering – or a surprise visit.
“First nations should be helping other first nations as much as they can,” he said. “I’ve turned the coin as an unexpected gathering. Instead of having that evacuation mentality that everything is emergent, the goal is to have first nation people come out like they are unexpected guests at a gathering.”
He adds that the program is working.
“We have dropped calls for service for police, ambulance, mental health up to 75 per cent during the evacuations we have been involved in using this model,” he said.
ISN Maskwa hosted members of the Mushkegowuk council for an emergency training session in Kapuskasing this week in preparation for what’s expected to be a busier forest fire season due to the lack of snow.
Louttit says it was a great week, and he’s getting other inquiries from indigenous groups across the country to offer similar courses.
