SALT RIVER (June 2/97) - Forest fires, floods and ice roads -- Don Tourangeau's reputation is built on handling crises.

The Salt River First Nation has known for years it can count on Tourangeau -- he's one of their own. Now the rest of the country is finding out why. He's in Halifax today to be recognized for his leadership skills.

Don Tourangeau, of Aurora College's Thebacha Campus in Fort Smith, was chosen by the Association of Canadian Community Colleges as their national award-winner for leadership excellence.

Last Monday a presentation ceremony was held at the legislative assembly in Yellowknife. The next day another one took place at Thebacha Campus.

Participants in the Yellowknife ceremony included Education Minister Charles Dent, deputy education minister Mark Cleveland, Lethbridge Community College president Donna Allen, Aurora College board of governors chair Danny Yakeleya and Aurora College president Chuck Parker.

Tourangeau, 47, has been the college's senior instructor in the heavy-equipment operator program and last October he was promoted to co-ordinator of trades and technical programs.

In his 22 years with the college, it is estimated that Tourangeau has instructed over 250 students, three of whom are now college instructors.

And the things they have done together with their bulldozers are remarkable --fighting fires and floods or making winter roads.

In 1981 Fort Smith and Salt River were threatened by a forest fire burning on both sides of the only road out of the area. Rescue aircraft had been called in to evacuate the residents.

Tourangeau and instructors took five bulldozers a few miles from the fire and trenched a fire break.

In the spring of 1996 the Slave River was running high and the Salt River backed up. Flood waters rose quickly and before people could react a portion of the road was washed out.

Tourangeau and his crew once again came to the rescue, laying a temporary culvert and building up the ground around it so Salt River residents were able to leave.

Every year a winter road is cleared from Fort Smith to Fort Chipewyan, but in 1993 there was not enough money to create it.

So Tourangeau, along with instructors and students, built it, spending three weeks in winter camps as they progressed towards Fort Chipewyan.

Tourangeau feels uncomfortable being called a role model, but he is described as such by not only past students and co-workers, but by MLAs and cabinet ministers, deputy ministers and the chief of the Salt River First Nation.