Young fire evacuees 'touch a truck' during visit from Timmins emergency services
While evacuees from Pikangikum First Nation seek refuge in Timmins, local emergency services wanted to give them a chance to explore fire trucks, a police cruiser, and an ambulance up close.
Marc Depatie, the Timmins Police Service's communications coordinator, said many children from smaller communities — which make up a large portion of these evacuees — may find the loud and flashing vehicles startling.
And so the goal for the trio of emergency services is to let people know that "the men and women in uniform are your friends."
"They are easily approachable and if you’re in a situation where you’re perhaps uncomfortable or your safety’s being jeopardized … the man or woman in uniform is there to assist you," Depatie said.
As the youngsters learned about the emergency vehicles, Timmins' fire chief and emergency management coordinator, Tom Laughren, said an event like this is a much-needed distraction from the situation that has forced them to leave their homes.
With around 50 extreme fires in the northwest region raging on with no clear end in sight, he said acquainting evacuees with the city's emergency services, ensures they know they are being looked after.
"Overall, it’s a challenge to keep activities, keep people busy, but the community has been fantastic because we know it’s not easy for them," Laughren said. "We continue to try to work with the community on activities that they would like to see."
Despite the uncertainty of the situation, Pikangikum First Nation Elder Betty Owen said she is not worried because local services are keeping them comfortable.
Her main concern is that her community stays well and happy until they are able to return home.
"They’re nice people, they donate stuff like clothing," Owen said. "I hope there will be no more smoke over there and (that we can) go home safely."
A sentiment shared by evacuees across the province, though Laughren said this looks to be a summer-long issue.
He said with consistently dry weather and fire crews working to the bone to quell the flames, he said there’s ultimately one thing that will determine how long this evacuation will last.
"We really need rain," Laughren said. "Mother Nature needs to help out."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Quebec police hand out hundreds of tickets to Hells Angels and other bikers before 'first run' meeting
Quebec provincial police handed out hundreds of fines to Hells Angels members and other supporting motorcycle clubs who met for their 'first run' in a small town near Sherbrooke, Que.
Feds hope to table foreign interference legislation next week: LeBlanc
Democratic Institutions Minister Dominic LeBlanc says he plans to table legislation this week to help the federal government address foreign interference, but he wouldn't say whether the proposal will include a foreign agent registry.
Auston Matthews skates ahead of Game 7, status unclear with season on the line
Auston Matthews was back on the ice with his teammates Saturday.
Snakes almost on a plane: U.S. TSA discovers a bag with small snakes in passenger's pants
According to an X post by the Transportation Security Administration, officers at the Miami International Airport found the small bag of snakes hidden in a passenger's trousers on April 26 at a checkpoint.
A Chinese driver is praised for helping reduce casualties in a highway collapse that killed 48
A Chinese truck driver was praised in local media Saturday for parking his vehicle across a highway and preventing more cars from tumbling down a slope after a section of the road in the country's mountainous south collapsed and killed at least 48 people.
Russia puts Ukrainian President Zelenskyy on its wanted list
Russia has put Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on its wanted list, Russian state media reported Saturday, citing the interior ministry’s database.
Work stoppage possible as WestJet issues lockout notice to maintenance engineers' union
A lockout notice issued by WestJet to a union representing aircraft maintenance engineers could result in a work stoppage next week.