CAF Story | CAF and First Nations work together to fight COVID-19
Video / May 14, 2021
Transcript
(SS) It's deeply rooted in the abilities to help Canadians, here on Canadian soil. It's something I haven't done before this year, and given the current state of the COVID-19 pandemic, it's making a big difference for myself and for my team that's here with us, to be able to help those that aren't necessarily able to have access to hire resources. My name is Lt Sarah Stang. I'm a general duty nursing officer with 1 Canadian Field Hospital.
(TZ) We had the Canadian Armed Forces join us in this task in getting the community vaccinated.
(SS) Each new community has different culture and different language and that is a custom to myself and my family. We have the opportunity to learn about these cultures through some online training with the military, and we have a good setup with translators and local guides here, to assist our achievement and bridging the gap between the cultures.
(LW) They've been excellent and they've been really, really helpful. It gave us nurses here kind of a rest from the busyness and the chaos of organizing and running a mass clinic, and planning a mass clinic.
(SS) I'm grateful for the opportunity, not only to work in this First Nation community and in multiple communities in Northern Manitoba, but also to be working along with the 1 Royal Canadian Horse Artillery and the Air Task Force that we're both attached to. It's been a great opportunity to see how much logistical support goes into these operations, to be able to get the support needed in these communities.
(TZ) They've helped in all different areas, such as sanitizing, helping educate the community about the vaccine...
(LW) They've been... They've come with immunizers and nurses, so they're able to do the administration on the vaccine. So it is very helpful. (SS) It's every culture that is different from my own. It's not a culture that I grew up in. However, the training that we received before we came in, the local guides, and the customs that we've been opened up to are interesting to learn and a great opportunity to be able to say that we've been able to experience their culture, as limited as it is, with COVID-19. And it does definitely feel like a different environment than home. So, it's a great opportunity to learn about the First Nations community and the Cree Nation community that we've been to.
(TZ) Yeah, it just... provided a lot of support, and I don't think that it would've been possible without your guys' help. We really appreciate that. (LW) And I'd like to thank the Armed Forces for coming to help us out, and the support in our community. I would also like to thank our Chief-in-Council. (SS): Hum, it's a rewarding experience for sure and it's a great way to experience different cultures that are part of Canadian culture, as a whole.
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