Alberta Forest Products Association (AFPA) COR Certification is a health and safety review and was conducted in March and April, 2019 for Neyaskweyahk Wildland Firefighters. The program review utilized the AFPA Injury Reduction Standard Health and Safety Audit Protocol (2019).
Neyaskweyahk Wildland Firefighters are part of the Neyaskweyahk Group of Companies, Inc. They work to combat the wildfires in Indigenous territorial lands, and other locations in Alberta. This project, under NGCI management, provides trained firefighters and provides the administration, contract, and crew management to the Department of Environment and Sustainable Resource Development (ESRD) with the Province of Alberta.
NGCI Wildland Firefighting was founded in 2018 to offer the opportunity for Indigenous youth employment and training during the summer months.
NGCI Wildland Firefighters provides “Zero Day” and “Secondary” Firetack Crews which consist of eight-member teams of qualified and motivated firefighters who assist in initial fire suppression efforts. The firefighters are ready and waiting to be dispatched to new fires by ESRD, who contracts various crews throughout the province.
NGCI’s 2019 audit was conducted for purposes of obtaining the PIR Certificate of Recognition (COR). The 2019 audit covered the organization’s First Nations wildland firefighting Firetack crew operations.
For certification purposes, an overall score of 80% is required and a minimum of 50% in each element. For COR maintenance purposes, an overall minimum score of 60% is required. The Neyaskweyahk Wildland Firefighting program scored an overall of 84%. There are also some continuous improvement opportunities suggested in this report that go beyond the scope of the audit protocol.
The Neyaskweyahk Group of Companies Inc. was established by the Ermineskin Chief & Council on April 20, 2013. A Band Council Resolution was passed to recruit a Board of Directors to govern and direct a President and CEO to manage NGCI. NGCI Board of Directors work diligently with the President & CEO for business development, including startups, joint ventures and acquisitions for the benefit of Ermineskin Cree Nation. 100% shares of this company are owned by Ermineskin Cree Nation
