September 20 2019

Page 1

Nickel Belt News Volume Volume 58 59 Number • Issue 3811

Friday, March 16, Friday, September 20,2018 2019

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KTC staff member’s quick thinking and first aid training save life of God’s Lake woman BY KYLE DARBYSON

KYLE@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET

Book a way to preserve and pass on memories of growing up in Churchill

Keewatin Tribal Council (KTC) celebrated staff member Echo Dumas’s quick thinking, which saved a Gods Lake Narrowsn woman’s life, during their Sept. 13 meeting in Thompson. During the Friday gettogether, therapist Mary Azure-Laubmann explained that she, Dumas and at least one other KTC staff member were deployed to God’s Lake First Nation to provide crisis response after a string of youth suicides triggered a state of emergency in late August. The team was returning to their residence around lunchtime Sept. 6 when they spotted a serious allterrain vehicle accident on the side of the road. “We noticed a quad that had crashed up against a steel fence,” said AzureLaubmann. “There was a steel pole there and then we looked to the ground and there was this lady and she was just laying there lifeless and we thought she was dead.” Nickel Belt News photos by Kyle Darbyson Before anyone else reKeewatin Tribal Council CEO George Neepin (left) and health director John Spence (right) congratulate Echo Dumas for saving a woman’s life in Gods acted, Azure-Laubmann said Dumas flew out of the Lake Narrows by presenting her with a star blanket during a Sept. 13 ceremony in Thompson. truck they were in and took charge of the scene, performing CPR on the injured well. woman and telling nearby “If things didn’t hapbystanders how they could pen the way that they did I help. believe this woman would “She checked with the have died,” said Azurelady to see if she was still Laubmann. “I can’t say breathing and she started enough about Echo and talking to her, telling her the job that she does as not to move,” said Azure- an emergency response Laubmann. “She got every- worker.” body that was there doing For her heroic actions, their roles in medical first KTC CEO George Neepin Nickel Belt News photo by Ian Graham and director health John aid … she Foundation got them toof call Addictions Manitoba northernofdirector Gisele deMeulles has written a book about her experiences growing up, mostly in Churchill. 911 and she got the guys to Spence presented Dumas look for GRAHAM a board to put the to with a star blanket during BY IAN For all the harsh weather write things that you have ‘Oh, I’m just as bad, right?’ was not a very safe thing swallow when people say lady on.” Friday’s ceremony. EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET to figure out. It’s pretty clear I have all these stories and to do but I jumped at it. I that Churchill residents and the dangers of polar Dumas she’s laternow told the when Spence mentioned I need to capture them for thought that was exciting should just find somewhere bears, deMeulles said if it Though written I get also through.” Nickel Belt News that this that this isn’tsaid the she firstwrote time my grandchildren really until the plane landed and easier to live. a book about her experienDeMeulles had been viable she would woman, whoup isin a mother of her thatbook, Dumas saved ina because they will be lost if they started throwing the ces growing Churchill, titledhas Whispers “To say, ‘Those people have moved back to Churchthree and around 30 years life,Wind: since part of her rolethe at I don’t.” Addictions Foundation of the Stories from fuel off and I realized, ‘Holy choose to live there. They ill in a heartbeat. old, risked seriousdirector spine KTC visit isolated InManitoba northern Northis- to Life in Churchill for She also has a reputation cats, I was probably sitting should just leave,’ is quite “I miss the shoreline, I and neck injuries digenous communities and as a storyteller herself. Gisele deMeulles said after writ- a couple of reasons. on a bomb.’” simplistic. It’s quite disre- miss the rock, I miss the sustaining a serious the sort residents how to ing wasn’t such something she teach “I just of thought, “I had such a varied hisAnother thing that spectful. If we were in the polar bears even though crash. thought she would you perform firstwhat, aid. This always know thistrainhis- tory and I would tell people spurred her on was the same boat in another area they’re very dangerous and ing paid off inthat’s a tangible do.“She must have been tory, this stuff in my stories and they would go, hard times facing Churchill I think we would scream I really miss the Hudson carrying with head, way init’sBrochet couple “In my groceries youth I never going toa be gone ‘That’s not true, is it?’ I’d go, since the Hudson Bay Rail- about that so why don’t they Bay,” she says. “When I go her one arm and driving years ago when someone felt good at writing,” she if I don’t write it down,” she ‘Yeah it’s true.’ They’d go, way suspended operations have the option to do that? back home, standing on the the quad, gro- almost drowned a ‘You didn’t do all that, did north of Gillam last spring. I think right now they’re Hudson Bay looking out on said. “Butbecause when Ithe moved said. “My kids areduring not goceries were allto over the ing fishing expedition. to Thompson get into to get it if I don’t do it you? You’ve got to be really “It used to be a really feeling like they’re pawns the bay, it just gives you an ground,” said. “I put and “The she I’ve trained the schoolshe of social work, it’s people something al- old.’ I was like, ‘No, actually thriving large community in a political game and that’s incredible sense. You feel so her on point a backboard, incident they at that I had to made write saw waysthe wanted myand mom to I did all that before I was and it’s just dwindled down really sad for them because I small and you feel great.” sureuniversity there was norealized, further do. ran My to go revive him and and 27,’ and they went ‘What?’” to such a small population think the people of Churchfor and mom’s an elder Now that she’s got damage herbad spine and she’s saved an hisartist, life,” said ‘Holy, I’mtonot at this, she’sSpence. got so Looking back, some of now,” deMeulles says. ill really want to thrive. one book under her belt, then jumped in the back of many “So because of this training right?’ I certainly developed wonderful stories be- those experiences are things Though she’s not there They’ve built their worlds deMeulles says she may try a diesel truckinand brought cause she’s making a bigtells impact a lot of skill university she always her she might not do again. any longer, her parents and there. How would we feel to produce another. Tribal Council therapist Echocame Dumas during meeting in Thompson. her to the nursing station.” on the community.” and came out of there with stories at Parks Canada in Keewatin “I did some pretty bizarre herMary sisterAzure-Laubmann and other familyembraces if someone to you andFriday’s “I have another book in The Gods Lake Narrows Neepin and wentI’ve on always to say stuff like fuel hauls into the members still are. a very strong skill in my Churchill said, ‘I’m sorry, you have to me,” she says. “It’s a darker resident wasconfi eventually Dumas’s actions just are First in“When the call comes serve our story, Dumas said she personstarted writing and dence in that hounded her, ‘Please, high Nations, Arctic atincluding -35,” said “My cousin owns the primary leave yourgoal: hometocommunity more about medevaced to IWinnipeg for put emblematic KTC as ita deMeulles. stances when a communin we’re there not two communities. And I’d like al working forand KTC as a dismy writing. write very it on tape,ofI will write “It didn’t dawn hardware store … there,” she and we’re going to displace growth struggles. further treatment. was for whole, their mission ity me like God’s Firsta says. or three days after. We’re you to thank Echo and John patcherinin has clear and that’s it. KTC It’s there. you since because your story on until after.Lake That was somewhere else andand all Maybe the2015 next fiand ve years later thatsay sheit’s survived is lost,’ to protect the Nation experiences of the first on all our coworkers foryour the almost 10 yearsI’lloffocus first aid Sometold people kind of statement is going to be and she’s very dangerous thingan to ondo. one Because of ones that, your loved ones and it’s something on the incident and is doing well-being 11I northern going on health crisis. the groundfiand fine jobisthey’re doing.” training under her belt. blunt or direct. I don’t tend never done itofand thought, Being a plane full of fuel deMeulles nds that’s it hardour to history gone?’” doing.”


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