SASKATOON — The Saskatchewan Health Authority has deployed resources to support the emotional and mental well-being of residents affected by wildfires in northern Saskatchewan.
The SHA, in a statement sent to SaskToday, said it is focused on supporting evacuees from the unprecedented natural disaster, many of whom are now displaced after being forced to leave their communities and have lost property.
“The SHA is focused on providing support to those leading the evacuation efforts. The SHA is specifically supporting First Nations health partners to provide support to evacuees as they request,” the SHA said in its statement.
“Provincially, we are actively deploying team members to sites where evacuees are being cared for to provide onsite support for those seeking the physical and mental care they require. In particular, the SHA is providing mental health support to those experiencing displacement.”
It added that support includes counselling and overall wellness, as seen in Saskatoon, where six mental health and addictions services team members were deployed recently to assist those who relocated to the city following the impact of the northeast wildfires.
“The Wellness Bus is also stationed at the Heritage Inn, where several evacuees are, and clinics at the Cosmo Civic Centre serve as an access point for primary care services and MHAS,” said the SHA.
“Across the province, the SHA also has team members physically present at sites where evacuees are being cared for to support with mental health services as well as connections to pharmacies for the refill of medications and providing resources for coping with the disaster.”
The SHA has also partnered with other organizations to support evacuees and has provided information to displaced individuals on how to access mental health and primary care services. Mental health support is available through HealthLine 811.
The SHA, through chief operating officer Derek Miller, added that it has closely monitored the situation in La Ronge since the start of the wildfires, relocating patients in health-care facilities across hospitals and long-term care homes throughout the province.
Miller said another critical element of their work is assisting general evacuees who have settled in various communities across Saskatchewan, in co-ordination with the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency and the Saskatchewan chapter of the Canadian Red Cross.
“We’ve been supporting individuals and families as they work through their evacuation situation. So, we’re ready to help on an ongoing basis, and also if there are any further evacuations, we'll be there to support them as well,” said Miller.
“From a facility perspective, there's no imminent risk. I know that other communities are at different levels of readiness for potential evacuation and have an inpatient medical facility. We would be there to support the Red Cross and SPSA as they evacuate those communities.”
Miller added that the SHA has levels of preparedness in its facilities for potential evacuation in emergency-type situations, such as wildfires, with staff ready to guide and implement protocols if needed.
Support programs
The Red Cross, the government said in a separate statement, has been working closely with Indigenous leaders and all levels of government to provide emergency accommodations, personal services and critical information to those forced out of their homes.
The government stated that the SPSA has an Emergency and Community Support (ECS) program through which evacuees can register to access services. For more information, call the SPSA at 1-855-559-5502 or the Red Cross at 1-800-863-6582, from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
“The SPSA’s ECS program is intended to meet the urgent, basic needs of Saskatchewan residents who have been displaced from their homes due to a disaster such as flooding or a forest fire, or any incident that forces people out of their homes,” said the statement.
“We know that many may be staying with friends and families. That is why we are doubling the amount of financial support for that program. We raised the head of household amount to $40, from $20, and additional household members from $10 to $20, or a maximum of $200 per day.”
The government added that the RCMP has been helping regularly evaluate the need for extra resources, with the assistance of nine Saskatchewan Marshals and two inspectors from the Saskatchewan Marshals Service, who have been patrolling affected communities to protect assets from looters.
The SPSA remains ready to respond and adapt effectively to the wildfire emergency. Once the wildfire situation in the province becomes more stable, the SPSA may consider utilizing additional available resources.
Firefighters explicitly trained in wildfire response — including those from British Columbia, Alberta, Nova Scotia, Quebec, Arizona, the Northwest Territories, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Yukon, Oregon and Alaska — have been assisting the SPSA.
“The SPSA continues to evaluate the resources required and the level of need on an ongoing basis as the current wildfire situation evolves daily. We would also like to thank the numerous municipalities that have stepped up and provided a variety of resources,” said the government.
The Saskatoon Fire Department stated that the SPSA has not yet requested any resources from them to assist in the firefighting efforts in northern Saskatchewan. However, they are ready if the need arises.
“Our hearts go out to all the communities affected by the wildfires, and our thoughts are with our colleagues on the front lines. We are prepared to mobilize our resources should the SPSA ask for our support,” said the SFD in a statement sent to SaskToday.
