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Educating our youth

Phil Duffy
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (May 14/01) - The Emergency Services division will consult communities around the NWT to lay the groundwork for a Youth Awareness Program.

"Next year we will be going ahead with a thorough and comprehensive youth program," said Eric Bussey, director of Emergency Services.

Every year in the NWT young lives are lost because of the lack of education and preparedness on how to survive in adverse conditions on the land.

While the division spends vast resources on educating the general public on outdoor survival, there is no program aimed at youths living in the north.

"We are planning to focus on youth education and awareness on survival to minimize the risks young people regularly take," he said.

"If we can make the proper impressions on people at an early age, they will then carry them throughout their lives."

The office of Boating and Safety for the Central and Arctic Region, in partnership with local RCMP offices and health care workers, currently does presentations in every school in the NWT.

"Because of the large amount of schools, their relative isolation, and their distance from each other, we get to each school approximately every two years," said Steve Sherburne, an officer with boating and safety.

The office of the Fire Marshal for the NWT continues to promote the delivery of a program called Risk Watch.

It is a comprehensive, all-hazards approach to reducing injuries in children from age 4 to 13.

Kellie Mitchell is the Assistant Fire Marshal for the South Slave/Deh Cho region and Part of her job includes public education.

She has been teaching a grade five class from Hay River's Harry Camsell School Risk Watch, and as a final lesson/graduation treat she will lead the class on an overnight camping trip.

"We have a variety of activities planned to relate what we learned in the classroom regarding making safe choices when out with our friends," said Mitchell.

"The class participation has been excellent and we've had a lot of fun while learning safe behavior."