First Nations’ first responders seek government help after tragedy

As Clarence Smith hauled distraught survivors from the stricken MV Leviathan II out of the water and into his small boat, he worried it could be swamped, pitching him and the people he was trying to help back into the water they were desperate to escape.

One woman had a broken leg and he didn't want to move her. He was also worried he was running out of gas. Mr. Smith, like others in the ocean-side aboriginal community of Ahousaht, grew up on the water and has the instinct to help mariners in distress. When trouble comes on British Columbia's rugged coasts, it's often band members like Mr. Smith who get there first.

And aboriginal leaders say the fatal accident here this week underscores the potential dangers of the coast and the question of whether coastal First Nations should get some help when it comes to responding to disasters in their oceanic back yard.

"We've had discussions with other First Nations whose communities are on the water – and they are basically first responders. Not only with incidents with our own First Nations but with other people who might get into trouble," said Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council president Deb Foxcroft.

In a statement Monday, the NTC – an umbrella group for 14 First Nation communities, including Ahousaht – called on the federal and provincial governments to improve the search and rescue capacity of Nuu-cha-nulth communities by providing specialized training and equipment.

On Tuesday, Ms. Foxcroft was at a meeting with other aboriginal leaders in Campbell River at which search and rescue capacity was on the agenda.

Mr. Smith recounted a harrowing story the day after he and other Ahousaht residents raced to save passengers who were on a whale-watching trip when the 20-metre MV Leviathan II flipped, leaving five people dead and a sixth unaccounted for.

"The sea was up, that made it harder to get people on board," Mr. Smith said this week.

Ultimately, Mr. Smith and his passengers made it to Tofino, about 35 minutes away, where survivors got medical attention and officials began to investigate what went wrong.

It is not the first time that First Nations fishing boats have been first to respond to a crisis. In 2006, villagers from Hartley Bay rushed to passengers who had taken to life boats after the B.C. Ferries vessel Queen of the North went off course, ran aground and sank.

Hartley Bay was told some additional resources would be available following that disaster, but those commitments have not been met, Councillor Marven Robinson said on Tuesday.

"We don't have any help from anybody else, equipment-wise, for sure," Mr. Robinson said.

B.C. Ferries donated a used Zodiac about a year after the sinking, but that vessel was not as sturdy as ones already owned by the band and, as a result, went largely unused, Mr. Robinson said.

Like Ahousaht, Hartley Bay has a search and rescue program. And five Hartley Bay residents are close to completing training as paramedics, Mr. Robinson said, adding to the community's capacity to respond to emergencies involving residents or people on pleasure or other craft nearby.

But he'd like to see more equipment and training, saying Hartley Bay has a "wish list," including a vessel with firefighting capability.

In Tofino on Tuesday, Premier Christy Clark said the province is planning to upgrade Internet connections in the region and considering a helipad for the Tofino hospital.

"This is the only [Vancouver Island] hospital that doesn't have a helipad, so we've got some work to do there as well," Ms. Clark said.

"That's part of the reason I'm here, I want to speak with the emergency responders and the community, where they see gaps, where they need help, because heaven forbid, if there's another disaster, people want to be ready and we want to make sure that we've learned everything we can from what happened Sunday night here."

In response to a question about the NTC statement, the province said emergency-response preparedness for First Nations in Canada rests with the federal government. And while the province welcomes participation of "any and all" First Nations communities and individuals in B.C.'s search and rescue program, the provincial search and rescue role applies to ground efforts, not marine rescues.

Despite the overlapping responsibilities and jurisdictions, Ms. Foxcraft said she hoped the Tofino accident would be an incentive for all parties involved to talk about ways to improve search and rescue capacity.

Ahousaht First Nation chief councillor Greg Louie also emphasized the need for co-operation.

"Whatever form of communications out here on the West Coast, it definitely needs to improve," Mr. Louie said. "Like, in Ahousat, the cell service needs to improve. Those types of communications need to improve. Even the communication between different agencies, between Ahousaht, the Coast Guard, the Joint Rescue team, all those need to improve."