Grant: Project Grant

In the summers of 2017 and 2018, many First Nations communities in the north central BC were affected by wildfires. For many First Nations communities, the emergency response for all members, but especially those with chronic conditions, was reactive, not proactive, due to a reliance on external agencies for information about fire and air quality, and the lack of a coordinated response. The objective of this project is to develop and evaluate an emergency preparedness and response strategy for First Nations people living with chronic lung disease, their community, and the local health care services in the Carrier Sekani territory in north central BC. This project is a partnership between Carrier Sekani Family Services (CSFS) and UBC. Our project will address 3 aims: Aim 1: LEARN how wildfires impacted community members with chronic lung disease, community services, and CSFS as the primary health care provider by conducting an analysis of wildfire seasons. We will collect information data on the extent and impact of the fires, air quality data, and the experiences of the community members and agencies. Aim 2: PLAN for upcoming wildfire seasons by developing an emergency preparedness and response strategy. This strategy will include a "citizen's science" approach by using local deployment of air quality sensors, an evaluation of the emergency preparedness of First Nations people with chronic lung disease, and a plan for how CSFS and the community will respond to local wildfires and worsening air quality. Aim 3: ACT by deploying the strategy during the wildfire seasons and assessing the impact of the strategy on: 1) individual and community emergency preparedness; 2) communication about risks; and 3) satisfaction with the emergency response. Our project will be the first to create and evaluate a novel emergency preparedness and response strategy that is designed for people with chronic lung disease living in remote and rural First Nations communities.