HUMANITARIAN WORKFORCE CALL-OUT: COVID-19 SUPPORT

We’d like to announce that today, a small team of SARVAC members, specifically from the Ontario Search and Rescue Volunteer Association have been deployed to Deer Lake First Nation, ON. This at the request of the Chief and Council members through the Provincial Emergency Operations Center and Public Safety Canada as a result of the recent COVID-19 outbreak last month within the boundaries of the territory described by the Winnipeg Treaty No. 5 (1875).

Our members are eager to help provide additional pandemic relief support alongside the Canadian Armed Forces Rangers, in the succession of Team Rubicon Canada to help the community in any way possible.
This is Search and Rescue Volunteer Association of Canada‘s first operational response to a Request for Federal Assistance (RFA) and Humanitarian Workforce (HWF) activation, initiated by Public Safety Canada who is ensuring that our GSAR teams and Deer Lake First Nations community members have the necessary resources to ensure the health and safety of those most affected by the spread of COVID-19.

We want to sincerely thank our GSAR members who are responding to this call and all those from across Canada who have expressed selfless interest in the volunteer deployment. We look forward to providing you with more updates as we receive them, and ask that you stay tuned to our social feeds for more details from transitioning members on the ground throughout this rapidly evolving first response effort.