Missanabie Cree First Nations ISN Maskwa
Media Release: Thursday May 11th 0500 hours
The 2023 flood season is now in progress for the Northern James Bay First Nation communities of Kashechewan First Nation, Fort Albany First Nation and Attawapiskat First Nation. The evacuation of these communities is ongoing and will likely continue for some time. Mushkegowuk Council member communities are currently being hosted and supported in a number of communities, including those that under the incident command of Missanabie Cree First Nations ISN Maskwa including teams in Kapuskasing, Val Rita, Smooth Rock Falls, and Toronto.
“I would like to thank our municipal and Indigenous hosts for coming together to assist our affected communities in our time of need. We respect this collaboration and the strong community supports that come together to make this experience as safe and welcoming as possible.” Wilbert Wesley, Manager of Emergency Services, Mushkegowuk Council.
By working with and in collaboration with various communities and agencies, and implementing the concept of Indigenous-led emergency management, these community members are being provided with safe, effective and culturally aware services.
Missanabie Cree First Nations ISN Maskwa is an Indigenous-led organization that is owned by Missanabie Cree First Nation. It is located in the Band Office along with Missanabie Cree Business Development Corporation in Sault Ste. Marie.
The primary mission of Missanabie Cree First Nations ISN Maskwa is to assist Indigenous communities in building trained teams of leaders and support personnel to support an Indigenous-led response during evacuations or community emergencies. Over the last year and a half Missanabie Cree First Nations ISN Maskwa has provided the following training to over 250 Indigenous community members:
Evacuation Support Specialist Security Training
Ontario Incident Management Specialist (“IMS”) Training
Many of the graduates of Evacuation Support Specialist Security Training courses are currently working as Community Support Personnel (“CSP”) at the various host sites where they are working as protectors and guardians for the evacuated communities. Our CSP’s are trained as security guards but have additional training in Mental Health First Aid Training: First Nations, Search and Rescue, Critical Incident Stress Debriefing, CPR and First Aid. More importantly, they bring with them their own understanding of the Indigenous culture as well as firsthand knowledge of the challenges Indigenous communities face. They remain engaged and involved in the mission of community safety and well-being and continue to strive for success and achievements in each community they step into.
Earlier this year, Missanabie Cree First Nations ISN Maskwa deployed its CSPs to Winnipeg in support of an evacuation related to contaminated water.
Forty-eight Indigenous members from twenty-four First Nation communities have been trained on Ontario’s IMS Levels 100 to 400. A number of these graduates have been and will continue to be mentored by Missanabie Cree First Nations ISN Maskwa Incident Command Staff at various host sites.
Missanabie Cree First Nations ISN Maskwa is home to Canada’s first Indigenous Emergency Operations Centre (“IEOC”) and it is located in Sault Ste. Marie. The IEOC was first used to support needs across several remote Indigenous communities at their nursing stations. It now provides a high level coordination of all deployed resources across the province.
Our organizations goal is that evacuations or emergencies are looked at through an Indigenous perspective as “Unexpected gatherings”. This is a unique concept of having Indigenous communities hosting Indigenous communities. We believe these goals have been innovative, collaborative and we have had considerable success in a short period of time.
Missanabie Cree First Nation itself has the ability to host Indigenous community members on their traditional land at Island View Camp, which is located northeast of Wawa. Currently 125 people can be hosted in this location; but by year’s end the Evacuation Centre is expected to be completed and will be able to house an additional 800 people.
Thank you to everyone, involved, including Indigenous Service Canada for supporting these operations and the Indigenous-led approach to emergency management.
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Jane Martynuck
Missanabie Cree First Nations ISN Maskwa
Media Coordinator
jmarynuck@isninc.ca
705-941-8161
