CLYDE RIVER CREATES LOCAL TEAM TO RESPOND TO TRAUMA
On Saturday morning (25 July 2009) Clyde River’s Interagency Critical Incident and Trauma Response Team formally met for the first time at the Ilisaqsivik Family Resource Centre. Members of this team respond to critical incidents such as people lost on the land, suicide attempts or completions, fires, vehicle accidents, murders, drowning, and other sudden deaths.
This meeting was arranged following a workshop sponsored by Ilisaqsivik Family Resource Center. The Critical Incident Stress Debriefing and Trauma Response workshop supported Clyde River counsellors, elders and community members to further develop their skills in facilitating Critical Incident Stress Debriefings and explored a variety of strategies of effectively responding to traumatic events. Terry Garchinski of Life Works Counselling and Training Services Inc. facilitated the workshop along with local elders, who helped to incorporate Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit. 12 people participated in the workshop including elders, youth, and Ilisaqsivik counsellors.
During the workshop, participants identified the need to develop a contact list of organizations, names of contact people and telephone numbers so everybody would know who to call in an event of an emergency. The following organizations were identified as important: The Health Centre, RCMP, Fire Fighters, Rangers, Search & Rescue, School, Hamlet Office, Anglican Church, Illisaqsivik Family Resource Center, Elder’s Committee, Community Counsellors and the Coroner’s Office.
Workshop participants also identified a need for representatives from each organization to meet regularly, network, and talk about who they are, what they do and how they could better work together. This was the reason for calling the first team meeting.
Joanna Qillaq was appointed as the team’s Co-ordinator. Joanna is a Counsellor at Ilisaqsivik and serves on Search and Rescue. Joanna is also fluent in both Inuktitut and English.
The team also took the opportunity to welcome the new RCMP officer, Craig Kielbiski to the community. Craig arrived in Clyde River just 4 days before the meeting.
The next meeting is scheduled for September.