Fraser Salish First Nations work together in preparing for emergencies – FNHA
May 28, 2025
It’s just after nine o’clock in the morning at Leq’á:mel First Nation and Emergency Operations Centre Director Christina Kelly calls everybody’s attention to share some grim news. An extreme weather event is bearing down on the region that will produce atmospheric river conditions, delivering up to an estimated 400 millimeters of rain over the next 72 hours—over 15 per cent of the region’s expected annual rainfall. It’s expected to cause flooding so severe that major roads and bridges may be washed out, and people will need to be evacuated to safety.
The good news is that after Christina is finished talking to her team, a quick glance outside shows that the situation is reassuringly sunny and dry. That’s because this is merely a training exercise, a collaboration with the City of Mission and the First Nations Health Authority’s Fraser Salish regional team, to develop emergency preparedness for real extreme weather events.
“First Nations communities are one of the highest impacted communities with fires, floods, and climate change impacts,” explains Christina, who serves as the emergency program manager at Leq’á:mel First Nation. “It is absolutely crucial that we collaborate and that we work together and that we train and exercise in Emergency Operations Centre exercises.”
