False alarms continued to haunt the Dauphin Fire Department in 2022.

Fire Chief Cam Abrey singled out the call category in his first report to Dauphin city council since the municipal election last fall.

Throughout the year the department responded to 236 calls, an increase of 17.5 per cent over the previous year, and false alarms accounted for 38 per cent of those calls.

“Our initiative this year was to educate property owners and managers as to how to reduce the number of false alarms that are happening in their facilities,” Abrey said, adding many of the false alarm calls are to repeat addresses. “They just keep having these calls regardless of the education.”

looking at the remainder of the calls, motor vehicle collisions were the next largest category by volume at 20 per cent, followed by kitchen fires and structures and structure fires at eight per cent each. Remaining call categories include outdoor fires at seven per cent, vehicle fires at six per cent, carbon monoxide alarms, mutual aid assists and a catchall “other” category, which includes calls not falling into another column.

In 2022, 4,993 hours were dedicated to those 236 incidents, Abrey said.

“Thirteen per cent of the time was spent in the RM, 86 per cent within the city of Dauphin and one per cent was mutual aid,” he added.

A considerable number of hours were also dedicated to training in 2022, with firefighters accumulating just under 2,500 hours through weekly training sessions every Wednesday, as well as the weekend courses offered by the Emergency Services College and hosted locally.

Currently, the department has once again started a level one and level two training class, which it has opened up for the 11 departments which make up the Riding Mountain Mutual Aid District - Inglis, Roblin, Grandview, Gilbert Plains, Ochre River, Ste. Rose, Laurier, Sifton, Ethelbert and Pine River.

“We have several members of Dauphin taking part in this training along with members from Gilbert Plains, Ochre and Ste. Rose taking advantage of the training opportunity,” Abrey said.

The department also recently hosted an incident command system training session offered by an instructor from the Manitoba Emergency Services College in Brandon, which defines the unique qualities of incident command, Abrey said, and focuses on the management of single resources.

“It’s a great training opportunity for anybody that’s likely to assume a supervisory position with incident command,” Abrey said. “So we had a number of our officers, as well as some firefighters that attended that training.”

In the near future, the department will be hosting a vehicle extrication seminar for the mutual aid district and neighbouring districts.

“We open up training opportunities like this to the Lake Winnipegosis Mutual Aid District, as well as the Swan Valley Mutual Aid District, where the smaller departments may not have the numbers in order to host a program themselves,” Abrey said, adding the seminar will cover internal combustion engine powered vehicles, hybrid vehicles and electric vehicles.

“This prepares personnel to respond to motor vehicle collisions that may require extrication, promotes the importance of working with trained and authorized EMS professionals or paramedic partners and the seminar covers topics such as vehicle safety systems, the anatomy of the vehicle, extrication tools and the use of hand tools.”

The following weekend the department will host a unique training opportunity. Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Services will offer information on an advanced fire dynamics program and an occupational hygiene program, Abrey said, adding he was able to arrange for the opportunity through some contacts he has in the city department.

“They sent several of their members to Ottawa to take this training,” he said. “Ottawa has since cut their funding for the program, so it doesn’t exist there any longer. Winnipeg is continuing to carry it on and they are quickly becoming a center of excellence for this level of training in Canada and beyond.”

The fire dynamics program offers a scientific, evidentiary based firefighting curriculum addressing both theory and practical approaches to modern firefighting, Abrey said.

“It’s currently delivered to all levels of personnel within Winnipeg Fire, from brand new recruits right up the ladder to the district chiefs, providing them with the knowledge and practical skills required for sound decision making regarding strategies and tactics on the ever-evolving and dynamic fire ground within which we operate,” he said.

The occupational hygiene section is a cornerstone of that program, considering the ever-increasing incidence of firefighting-related cancers.

“We have to learn the skills to provide protection to ourselves to minimize exposure to carcinogens in post-fire time frame,” Abrey said. “So it’s not only on the fire ground, it’s that time following, as well.”

Abrey said the department will host 80 firefighters from several mutual aid districts, as well as West Region Tribal Council departments over the two days of training.

“So we’re extremely excited about this unique opportunity,” he said.

Other training opportunities planned for the coming months include a pumper truck basics course and an emergency vehicle driving seminar.

The department is also offering some lifestyles training for members which does not involve the fire ground.

Recently, the DFD brought in a yoga instructor to help members work out some kinks.

“I really thought that there would be some opposition from some of our members to sit and do some chair yoga, but it went over so well that they’re asking if we can get that instructor back again for another night,” Abrey said, joking he heard a lot of snap, crackle and pop happening in the room. “You could hear some really weird noises besides the groaning with the stretches that were happening.”

Recently, the department also hosted members of Project Resilience 911, who shared information on various mental health initiatives and resiliency training opportunities.

Plans are to expand the opportunities with a dietician, information about therapy dogs and training on personal fitness.

“We’re focusing on a health and wellness initiative to better educate our members on how to protect themselves off the fire ground.” Abrey said.

The Northwest Métis Region hosted a consultation meeting with its citizens regarding the Red River Métis Self-government Recognition and Implementation Treaty, Saturday in Dauphin.

The meeting gave Métis citizens as chance to add their input to the coming changes as a result of the Treaty, which was agreed to in July, 2021.

Manitoba Métis Federation (MMF) vice-president and Health and Early Learning Child Care Minister Frances Chartrand said commitment made by the government of Canada will give the Red River Métis their inherent rights back.

“We’ll have access to our harvesting rights. We’ll have access to housing, education, economic development,” she said. “The commitment that was made with the federal government when they first fought. And we then we went to the Supreme Court with our land claims. In 2013, we won our land claims.”

Minister Chartrand said the treaty is for the next generation, adding it is history in the making.

“This will be the first time that the Métis are recognized and we have the new land treaty entitlement. So with the Red River Métis government, our citizens tell us what they want. They pave the path,” she said. “It’s our jobs as politicians to go out there and make it happen.”

About 200 people attended the meeting, which included a team of lawyers, one of whom is a Red River Métis citizen.

MMF president David Chartrand spoke about what the treaty means and the change for the next generation.

“And the impact it will have for the future and where we should have been 153 years ago,” he added.

The treaty, president Chartrand said, will truly change the essence for the next generation.

“It will set the foundation of assuring that there is not a doubt of the Red River Métis, of all the northwest. The agreement we signed in 2021, of July 6, removed the boundary lines. There are no provincial boundary lines that apply to us anymore. The northwest is ours,” he said. “So our citizens can join us no matter where they live in the world. And we have an obligation to protect our people’s rights as a government.”

It also sets the foundation for the future, Chartrand said, of where Métis fit in when it comes to a relationship with Canada.

“And Canada has the legal obligation that they’ve been avoiding for over 100 years. And it’s time that they come to the table and this will lead them to the table, force them to the table,” he said.

Chartrand hopes the treaty will help change the way people look at the Red River Métis.

“It’s to change the ideology of the people in the way they look at you. If they look at you as a corporation, as an organization, then they will treat you like that. But if they look at you, as you would hope they would look at, for example, the respect they have for municipalities, the respect they have for the premier, the respect they have for the prime minister,” he said. “So we’re a government. And we’re expecting that people will start to see that, within that respect, within that whole phraseology of reconciliation, comes a pattern or a modern change in this country where they will look at us as a government representing our people.”

That change, Chartrand hopes, will change the very fabric of the relationship between the Métis and Canada.

“It will really change the essence of clarity, without question. And that should have been done many, many, many moons ago,” he said.

Parts of the treaty are still being negotiated, such as child welfare, health legislation and land claims.

“So all these things that are happening are really a transition,” Chartrand said. “It’s not something that has come up overnight. This is decades and decades of struggles. A century of struggles. And it’s really setting us on a pathway to where we should have been. I look forward to a change where our people can really now know that they matter and that no one can step on them ever again.”

As part of recognizing the upcoming International Women’s Day, it’s only fittng to recognize some of Roblin’s outstanding female leadership in business, trades, and other areas.

This week we recognize pharmacist Whitney Mitchell and Highways employee Krysta Taylor.

Read all about them in this week’s Review.

Roblin Elementary School held its annual Science Fair Feb. 22 with some 40 projects on display.

Judging the entries were teachers Kelsy Black, Haley Lefebre and Shawna Packo; principal Mark Rathgeber; and Mountain View School Division trustee Leifa Misko.

Find out who won the hardware in this week’s Review

Council of the Municipality of Roblin passed three by-laws at its Feb. 28 regular meeting dealing with contracts to operate and manage the Roblin Waste Disposal Ground; for managing and caretaking the Community Centre; and providing for the remuneration of members of council and citizen appointees and volunteers.

All three by-laws were passed unanimously with Counc. Chad Jones absent from the meeting.

Want to know more? Check out this week’s council briefs.

Whenever one mentions the community of Roblin to someone you just meet, chances are they would ask you if you knew Dale Yeo. He was a man who greatly influenced many students that he taught over the years and inspired many great positive changes to take place in Roblin, which have improved the quality of life for all.

It shocked everyone in Roblin to learn of his passing on December 10, 2022, and many just can’t picture the world without his presence in it.

Read the rest of the story in this week’s Review.

This year’s Northern Manitoba Trappers’ Festival’s (NMTF) Queen Trapper is no stranger to the event. Clarissa Burns was crowned as 2023 Queen Trapper and she has been competing in events at the festival since she was a teen. She rarely misses an opportunity to come out to NMTF.
“Although I reside in Prince Albert right now, I am originally from The Pas, so I have been to Trappers’ Festival as far back as I can remember,” said Burns. “I would say roughly 30 years I have been to Trapper's Festival. I have been competing in NMTF since I was a teenager, around 13 and 14 years old, in the Junior Queen Trapper events.

When it comes to participating in King and Queen Trapper at this year’s Northern Manitoba Trappers’ Festival, it seems like the winners who were crowned were well-seasoned competitors. This year’s King Trapper, Chris Perchaluk, has attended several Trappers’ Festivals over the years and competed, however entering this year was unplanned.
“I’ve attended the Festival pretty much every year I’ve lived here,” said Perchaluk. “I missed a few over the years, but I think it would be fair to say I’ve been to over 25 Festivals.

The Northern Manitoba Trappers’ Festival (NMFT) has come and gone for another year, and a new Fur Queen has been crowned. The NMFT 2023 Fur Queen is Gloria Ballantyne-Packo, First Princess is Cadence Easter, and Second Princess is Airianna Bignell-Beardy. For Ballantyne-Packo, being crowned NMFT Fur Queen has been a childhood dream come true.
“I had always wanted to run for fur queen when I was younger,” said Ballantyne-Packo. “When Kendara and I were younger, we used to watch the fur queens in the community and it was something we liked to do together as sisters. When I was old enough to sign up, I knew I couldn’t commit to the following year afterwards, because I had plans to relocate. While I was living in Calgary, I felt sad because I felt it would be an opportunity I would never be able to have.

A person never knows when a hobby or interest that they have as a child can become a passion when they get older. Grandview resident Lindsey Morran has been mixing up his time with a few different projects, but lately has been drawn into the world of chainsaw carving.
Morran’s hobby led him to experience the Northern Manitoba Trappers’ Festival for the first time and compete in the log carving competition hosted by Brody’s No Frills. For Morran, it was a first time for both these events.
“I had never attended the Trappers’ Festival before and I felt that going up to The Pas and entering the log carving competition would be a great experience on both counts,” said Morran. “Last year I won a chainsaw carving competition in Powerview-Pine Falls and this year have been personally invited to compete in one in Beausejour on Canada Day.