On November 13, 2020, the three Chiefs of the Stoney Nakoda Nation and the Director of Stoney Nakoda Emergency Management Mike Crawford received the IAEM Canada National award for Prepared Community. This award is in recognition of the Nation\’s commitment to #preparedness that was in place to help guide them through many of the challenges with #covid19 The Stoney people have demonstrated #resilience this past year and will inspire other Nations. This is the first time a First Nation community has received this award.
The Stoney Nakoda Nation’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic was publicly recognized by Dr. Deena Hinshaw who said in a June 3rd press conference, \”Stoney Nakoda, on Treaty Seven territory, helped to support their members by proactively creating a dedicated space for those who needed to isolate, but were unable to do so at home. Their isolation facility supports up to 150 individuals and nurses and other health providers are on hand to help support anyone isolating. While this facility has not yet been needed, it stands ready to make sure safe isolation in supported for anyone who should be ill.”
Further, the Nation was chosen as a testing site for a unique pilot project between the University of Calgary and the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology to fly by drone, live viral test kits from rural and isolated areas to urban centres.
The Centre for Crisis & Risk Communications is proud to be partners with IAEM Canada and to have supported the Stoney Nakdoa Nation with their COVID-19 communications.