Missanabie Cree First Nation begins training for First Nations emergency management teams

Missanabie Cree First Nation - under the leadership of the community’s Band Council - will be providing Incident Management training in Sault Ste. Marie in support of Indigenous communities across Ontario.

The training will begin with an opening ceremony at 9 a.m. Monday, Feb. 14  at the Quattro Convention Centre.

“We are truly honoured to provide this training to both our community and other First Nations. The training model we created will allow Indigenous people to assist each other in their time of need,” said Jason Gauthier, Missanabie Cree First Nation chief in a release.

The training has been made possible with support from Indigenous Services Canada and in partnership with Investigative Solutions Network – Maskwa.

Every year, many remote First Nation communities experience a variety of emergencies that require effective management and good planning.

The Incident Management training, designed by ISN-Maskwa, will qualify 28 candidates from a variety of communities to manage those emergencies.

This four module course ends in mid-March with four days of practical exercises at various locations across Sault Ste. Marie. Those attending the course will then be employed on incident management teams when needed.

"Missanabie Cree First Nation and Investigative Solutions Network - Maskwa have also partnered with Sheshegwaning First Nation on Manitoulin Island. Sheshegwaning First Nation has created a security service to support other Indigenous communities in need. The security training is being provided by Investigative Solutions Network - Maskwa and will qualify approximately 200 personnel. The intent of this training program is to create teams of Incident Command and security personnel that can deploy across Ontario to Indigenous communities in times of crisis,” the release said.

“This is truly Indigenous communities supporting Indigenous communities.”

Missanabie Cree First Nation will also serve as a host site during the next evacuation season. This site will be at the Island View Camp on the traditional lands of the Missanabie First Nation. Other host locations are being chosen and will be managed by the teams created during the  training which begins Monday.

“The program created by Missanabie Cree First Nation is a very unique concept. They have positioned themselves as a leader in emergency management and have the ability as an Indigenous community to manage the most complex events across Ontario. ISN – Maskwa is proud to have partnered with Missanabie Cree and Sheshegwaning First Nation,” said Sean Sparling, ISN president.  

Investigative Solutions Network (ISN) is a national investigation company located in Pickering, Ontario, while ISN and Missanabie Cree First Nation Business Development Corporation (MCFNBC) jointly own Investigative Solutions Network – Maskwa. This is an Indigenous company majority owned by MCFNBC.

The head office for ISN-Maskwa is co-located with the MCFNBC and MCFN Band Office on Queen Street in Sault Ste. Marie.

The 28 candidates on the Emergency Management Course are from the following First Nations:

• Couchiching
• Walpole Island
• Mattagami
• Eabametoong
• Missanabie Cree
• Sheshegwaning
• Sagamok Anishnawbek
• Kashechewan
• Fort Albany
• Seine River
• Red Rock

There are four modules to the emergency management training.

Security training includes the provincial security guard course, mental health first aid, critical incident stress debriefing, first aid and search and rescue. About 200 guards will be trained in total. Guards are being trained in Thunder Bay and Little Current, Ont.