RESILIENCY DESCRIBES THE ABILITY OF A COMMUNITY TO NOT JUST BOUNCE BACK BUT TO ACTUALLY FUNCTION AT A HIGHER LEVEL, DESPITE THE ADVERSITY THEY WILDFIRES FACED.” LAST SPRING, SWEPT THROUGH JUDITH SLAVE KULIG LAKE, ALTA., AND DESTROYED ALMOST ONE-THIRD OF THE SMALL NORTHERN TOWN. READ HOW A UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE PROFESSOR IS USING HER RESEARCH EXPERTISE TO LEAD THE RECOVERY EFFORTS.
BY KALI MCKAY
Several months after fires devastated the Slave Lake region of northern Alberta, winter quickly approaches and people are still living in trailers and hotels. Timesensitive insurance negotiations linger and there are concerns about building inflation and a shortage of workers. It is clear the recovery process is a colossal job. While many are left wondering how the community will cope with such devastation, Dr. Judith Kulig, a University of Lethbridge researcher, believes the answer lies in the resiliency of the community itself. “The notion of resiliency describes the ability of a community to not just bounce back but to actually function at a higher level, despite the adversity they faced,” says Kulig, a former public health nurse who has spent the last decade examining what happens in rural communities when disaster strikes. Even with the financial and moral support from organizations and individuals outside the community, the task of replacing the physical structures lost or damaged by the fire is significant. More importantly, the process of looking after the physical and emotional well-being of the people affected by the fire, and how well the community recovers, is what interests Kulig. “Some communities do well in these situations and some do not,” explains Kulig, who believes the overall health of a community is reflected in its ability to recover. “If we can figure out the reasons behind these differences, we will be in a better position to support disaster relief efforts everywhere.”
Embarking on a new study, Kulig is investigating how the people of Slave Lake are recovering, with a particular emphasis on children and families. “Up to this point, there hasn’t been a full understanding of what happens to kids in these situations,” says Kulig, who is part of a research team that includes other researchers from the U of L, as well as colleagues from Queen’s University, Concordia University and Laurentian University. The team has worked in Saskatchewan, interior British Columbia and the Crowsnest Pass. “While parents are busy finding a place to live and negotiating with insurance companies, they are also teaching their kids how to handle adversity. We need to evaluate how these lessons are being transferred and what impact they are having.” Kulig has visited Slave Lake several times and is working with an advisory board that includes representatives from the Ministry of Child and Youth Services, Natural Resources Canada/Canadian Forest Service and the Australian Red Cross. She is also working with local agencies and individuals to connect with people in the affected communities.
P HOTO S UB M IT T E D
“THE NOTION OF
Dr. Judith Kulig and Dr. Anna Pujadas Botey arrive in Slave Lake, Alta.
3