MLTC calls to establish First Nation emergency response team

Reflecting on the community recovery efforts, he said he would like to see teams across Canada equipped with such technology so parents and communities looking for closure are not waiting an extended period.

“We don’t look at equipment as a big difference maker,” Maendel said. “We look to faith in God and persistence in his grace and mercy that allows us to do what we do.”

HEART Team reflects

Maendel explained the HEART Team arrived to Makwa Lake shortly after the boy was reported missing on June 23. Based on local information, the team thought the boy was near the sandbar where he disappeared.

After the RCMP searched the area for approximately five days, HEART searched the area again using sonar equipment. With weather and water levels a factor against their search, HEART extended its search off the sandbar using a remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV) and located an anomaly worth examining. Upon examining sonar images, the team learned the item was a piece of driftwood. Members returned to the site to continue with their recovery efforts.

“A couple, Gene and Sandy Ralston are former divers from Idaho, U.S. and have 120 recoveries to their credit. They came on a voluntary basis to perform recoveries,” Maendel explained. “We went beyond the search grid toward the northwest.”

HEART returned on Aug. 4 and that afternoon volunteer teams came across additional sonar images which fit the image of their target. The Ralston’s laid down a buoy to mark the site, and the ROV located the missing boy.

Establishment of local first responders, technology procurement

Daryl Wright, emergency response plan coordinator with Meadow Lake Tribal Council (MLTC) was part of the recovery effort. He wants to establish first responder groups on First Nations communities such as Ministikwan Lake Cree Nation and Birch Narrows Dene Nation. These northern communities have poor cell reception and individuals have reported waiting nearly two hours for a medical response.

“The situation identified the need for first responders. My ideal goal would be to set up trained first responder groups to respond to emergencies at a community level and branch out into other specializations,” Wright said. “In Canoe Lake, we have someone with diving certification. We’d like to get them some equipment so they could help with things like search and recovery.”

Wright added committed volunteers are the source of a community’s emergency response plan and he’s looking to the immediate community to come forward for medical response training. While funding for training may not be an issue, procuring capital and technology to successfully perform a recovery task can be costly.

Diving equipment costs can range upwards of $15,000, a side sonar equipment costs roughly $70,000 and an ROV costs nearly $160,000.

Those interested in learning more about Daryl Wright’s search and rescue initiative, can call him direct at 306-304-2092 or contact the Meadow Lake Tribal Council Office here.

MLTC Tribal Chief Richard Ben told meadowlakeNOW First Nations are lacking capacity in search and rescue resources.

“A lot of community members stepped and had boats out searching for the young boy, but in regards to capacity, we’re lacking equipment,” Ben said.

Ben said he wants to gather data from First Nations to learn what is needed in terms of community search and rescue efforts. He added deep sea diving volunteers contributed to the rescue efforts, though due to an equipment malfunction, the search was extended by nearly three weeks.

“I would really like to see some resources with deep sea diving,” Ben said. “A lot of our lakes are deep and you need the expertise of deep see divers. I don’t understand why we don’t have our own in this province or even in Canada.”

Ben said educational programming introduced to the First Nation through the Tribal Council to distribute among the nine First Nations is needed. He said courses and programming at the Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies would benefit First Nation communities long term.

Community education

A spokesperson with the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency, Karri Kempf said in an email education and training is available year round to all Saskatchewan communities who wish to develop emergency response plans and increase their overall preparedness. Once a request for assistance is made, resources are deployed to support local responders as required.

“In the case of the drowning at Makwa Lake, the SPSA responded with staff and an underwater drone. Unfortunately the drone was unable to locate the victim,” the statement read.

The RCMP released the following statement:

“The Saskatchewan RCMP Underwater Recovery Team (URT) employed drop scanning sonar to areas of the lake that would help better identify potential targets. A Remote Operated Vehicle (ROV) was used to confirm the potential targets identified underwater were not what we were looking for.

Due to the bottom structure and abundance of potential targets in select areas, URT was also required to use divers on the bottom and conducted a visual search while being towed behind the boat. Using all of our search techniques enabled us to cover off a large search area. The boy was located outside of this area.

The Underwater Recovery Team was called to two other recoveries during the time when the boy was missing, but attended three different times for the search.

Saskatchewan RCMP was very glad to see how the community came together and supported both URT and the other search teams throughout this time.”

Throughout the entire search, Loon Lake RCMP was assisted by Meadow Lake RCMP, Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment Conservation officers, Loon Lake Fire Department, Civil Air Search and Rescue Association (CASARA), Saskatchewan RCMP Underwater Recovery Team, Saskatchewan RCMP Search and Rescue, North Battleford RCMP Police Dog Services, Pierceland RCMP, Prince Albert Grand Council Emergency Services, Hutterian Emergency Aquatic Response Team (HEART), Grandmother’s Bay Recovery Team, Lloydminster Rescue Squad, Canadian Search and Disaster Dogs Association (CASDDA), Makwa Sahgaiehcan First Nation, Meadow Lake Tribal Council, along with a dozen RCMP members from across the province and numerous residents, family members and friends.

Indigenous Services Canada stated the agency has reached out to the Chief and the community to offer mental health supports as well as recovery costs.

“ISC has been supporting recovery costs through our Emergency Management Assistance Program,” a statement to meadowlakeNOW read. “Search and Recovery operations are being led by the First Nation, and they are coordinating the efforts of numerous first response and volunteer agencies.”

As the First Nation community is responsible for emergency response activities, questions about operational matters are best be directed to Chief and Council.

Additional information on Indigenous Services Canada’s support of on-reserve search and recovery operations through the Emergency Management Assistance Program, visit here.

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nicole.reis@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @nicolereis7722

by Nicole Reis

MLTC calls to establish First Nation emergency response team

HEART Team reflects

Establishment of local first responders, technology procurement

Community education

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