Author: Shelly W

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Alberta Ft Mac Health

Fort McMurray Wildfire Leads to Increase in Mental Health Referrals

In the aftermath of the Fort McMurray wildfire the number of mental health referrals for area residents has increased. Many of the people in the Wood Buffalo community were forced to flee their home with little advance notice, and some were forced to travel between walls of flame as they fled in terror. Coming back home after the forced evacuation often meant seeing everything destroyed, with little left but ash and rubble. With all of these factors it is no surprise that the mental health of the residents has been affected, or that more people than before are seeking counseling and therapy for all of the trauma that they have suffered in recent months.

The Fort McMurray wildfire affected some more deeply than others and at least 20% of the local community, or 1 in 5 people, have received mental health referrals associated with trauma related to the events surrounding the Fort McMurray wildfire. One resident affected is Sarah Legacy, who told CBS News “The flames were very vivid in my sleep. Even talking about it now makes my stomach very nervous. I just could not do my daily activities. It’s kind of a strange thing to say, but I was frozen by fear.” Mental health professionals believe that this is just the tip of the iceberg, and that as time goes by even more people will seek help and treatment for mental health issues caused by the fire and their evacuation. According to Dr. Sandra Corbett “People who were evacuated felt very uprooted. We know there are different states in the process, of the kind of different emotions that the people go through.”

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Ft Mac

Sex Assault at Timberlea Home Daycare Leads to Criminal Charges

A Fort McMurray resident has been charged for a sex assault that occurred at a Timberlea home daycare, and the man lived at the home where the daycare was operated although he was not the owner or a caregiver for the business. Police allege that 30 year old Shawn Giles sexually assaulted a minor who was placed in the Timberlea home daycare, and the parents of the minor alerted the authorities when they found out about the alleged sex assault against the child. Wood Buffalo RCMP spokesperson Cst. Kandice Perry said “We’re asking anyone with any information regarding this investigation to come forward.” There has been some speculation that Giles owns the home although this has not been verified yet.

The Timberlea home daycare has not been charged with sex assault or any other charges since Giles did not own the daycare or act as a caregiver for the business. Cst. Perry explained that the investigation is still continuing and that police have been trying to get in contact with other parents who had a child in the home daycare to interview them as well. Giles has been charged with a single count of sexual interference and two separate accounts of sexual assault, and he has been released since he was arrested. Conditions of release mean that Giles can not be in contact with the victim in any way, and he is not allowed to be in any contact with anyone under 14 who is not related unless that minor is in the presence of an adult who is 25 years old or older.

Categories
Alberta Ft Mac Health

PTSD, Counseling, and Wildfire Recovery

During the wildfire recovery in the Wood Buffalo area many people may need counseling, and some will experience at least minor symptoms of PTSD. This is a normal reaction to recent events and is nothing to be ashamed of. The entire Wood Buffalo community is under an incredible amount of stress. Many people have lost everything to close to it, residents were forced to evacuate for an extended time, and the cleanup effort is an ongoing process. It is normal to see a decline in mental health as a result, and counseling can be very effective. A professional therapist can help with the recovery process, allowing the person to work through their thoughts and emotions in a safe way. Post traumatic stress disorder can occur any time there is a traumatic event, and the wildfire and forced evacuation definitely fits that description.

There are organizations and agencies in Wood Buffalo that can provide counseling for anyone who needs it. Those who show symptoms of PTSD should seek out help and treatment. If left untreated the symptoms of PTSD can worsen and become more severe, and if this happens then effective treatment can be more difficult and take longer to achieve. There are counseling programs offered at discounted rates or even at no charge, and any costs incurred may be covered by insurance. Seeking out counseling does not make you weak, and there is no shame in it. Everyone needs a sympathetic ear at times, and advice from someone who is impartial.

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Alberta Economic Ft Mac Politics

Should the Amalgamation Agreement Terms be Changed so Rural Hamlets are Treated Fairly?

A request by rural hamlets is asking the provincial government to determine whether they have been unfairly treated under the amalgamation agreement terms. According to McKay Metis president Ron Quintal “We’re hoping Alberta will open the amalgamation agreement and tell us what it originally really says, especially regarding what the rural communities are owed and what role we play in the municipality. Are we being treated fairly? It’s a crying shame communities struggling with education and social issues have to fight in an area so rich as ours. At the heart of the issue is the revenue provided by industry sites near our communities to the municipality and what we get in return. I think pulling out of the municipality is not a goal we’re moving towards. We don’t want a negative outcome. It’s just that after giving up our tax base, can anyone say we’re being treated well?”

Representatives from the rural hamlets and First Nation and Metis groups had a meeting with Municipal Affairs Minister Danielle Larivee about the amalgamation agreement terms. The groups argued that they face social and economic disadvantages when compared to Fort McMurray. After the meeting Quintal stated “We stepped up and opened our homes and our wallets for Fort McMurray. Our businesses, already struggling from the recession, are paying higher taxes. We still pay higher taxes. We don’t want to turn this into an ugly urban versus rural fight, but when we look at the payoff, enough is enough.” Hopefully the provincial government will be responsive and a compromise can be reached.

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Ft Mac

First Responders Receive Gift Baskets From the Family Christian Centre

There is no doubt that the first responders were crucial to the successful evacuation when the wildfire hit, and many people owe these professionals a big debt of gratitude. The Family Christian Centre provided gift baskets to 187 first responders as a way of showing appreciation and saying thank you for all that these men and women did during a time of need in the community. The gift baskets were delivered to Fire Hall #1 last week, and each basket has a value of approximately $100. There is a $50 Boston Pizza gift certificate, a bottle of wine that is non-alcoholic, and an assortment of snacks and tidbits as well. The Centre is not the first to offer thank you gifts and tokens of appreciation. According to municipality deputy chief of operations Brad Grainger “It’s a heck of a gesture. We’ve continued to receive, almost from June 6 on, a daily thank you from all of the citizens, everything from cupcakes to dinners to pizza to now these wonderful baskets. It’s been pretty continuous.”

The gift baskets for first responders is not limited to the 187 dropped off at the fire hall either. The centre also planned on providing more than 200 gift baskets to the Fort McMurray RCMP detachment the very next day as well. Family Christian Centre executive director Brian Bursey, who helped to deliver the gift baskets, explained “We really just wanted to, as a church, show appreciation to them and recognize them for what they did. They put their lives on the line. Some had their houses burn but still went on fighting anyway.” It is a nice gesture and one that is greatly appreciated.

Categories
Economic Ft Mac Health

Fort McMurray Victim Services Unit Celebrates 25 Years of Service to Community

The Fort McMurray Victim Services Unit is celebrating 25 years of providing services to the community. The unit was first formed in the 1980s as a non profit group dedicated to helping local people who were victims of crime, tragedy, or other types of trauma. Today the unit includes 6 full time staff plus a number of volunteers, and it is part of the law enforcement department of the municipality. According to 6 year unit veteran Kim Timmons the transition was needed because of the vital service provided by the unit to the community.

Timmons explained that the Fort McMurray Victim Services Unit addressed a specific community need, saying “It spoke volumes to the necessity of the service and how critical it is to the well being of everyone here. When you go home at the end of the day and you lighten the burden for someone else [who is] probably in their worst hours of life, than that’s the good feeling you take home. That’s what makes you come to work the next day.” Kim stated that the hardest part of her job is notifying loved ones about a fatality, saying “That’s something I’ve never gotten accustomed to.” The unit operates out of the Timberlea RCMP detachment, and they are called in for assistance by the RCMP officers whenever a traumatic incident is reported or investigated. RCMP supt. Rob McCloy supports the Fort McMurray Victim Services Unit , saying “They are our compassionate helping hands.” Many people in the community have had contact with the unit, and members do what they can to help lessen the trauma that the crime victims and their families go through.