b'COVER STORYCALGARY, ALTA.In mid-November 2019, volunteer Gitz Crazyboy put a call out to start a Bear Clan Patrol chapter in Calgary. The Bear Clan Patrol Calgary chapter also utilized the Winnipeg chapters guideline handbook in beginning their branch of the organization. The inaugural meeting of the Calgary chapter saw only seven members. Since then, a few individuals have stepped back and new members have joined. Maskwasis Boysis sits on the Council for the Calgary Bear Clan Patrol and is a Calgary Bear Clan Volunteers co-founder. They did their first patrol on November 22, 2019. Patrols consists of carrying a Naloxone kit [and a] first aid kit and helping people who are on the street. We help anyone and not only Indigenous people, says Boysis. For anyone who wishes to volunteer, the chapter posts when and where they are going to do patrol on their Facebook page: facebook.com/BearClanCalgary. People who are interested in volunteering can RSVP on the event page or simply show up on the day. Another program the Calgary chapter currently offers is smudging the streets. They have a dinner, hand out food and talk The National Indigenous Fire Safety Council Project is theto people. Afterwards, they smudge the result of a new Indigenous developed framework designedstreets to rid them of all the bad energy to support Indigenous communities in development of theirand events that have happened in the areas that they patrol. They carry Naloxone kits internal capacity to improve community safety and resiliency.and pick up needles they see on the ground. The NIFSC Project is Indigenous inspired, designed andFinally, they give out food and bagged led in collaboration with regional and national Indigenouslunches to those in need. communities, organizations andleaders. Since COVID-19 hit in March, patrols have been fewer and only the Council members have gone out so they can avoid We are dedicated to providing Indigenous communities withputting their volunteers at risk. During the tools needed to be healthy and safe. Our goal is to createpatrols, they drive to safe injection sites sustainable programs with the input of fire safety experts,and homeless shelters where they hand out community members, and other interest groups.lunches, clean needles and condoms. The Calgary chapter has received a lot of We are: positive feedback from the community, and Identifying and addressing gaps in is also working on getting their non-profit Indigenous fire service. status. At the time of writing, Boysis is Creating culturally relevant programs hopeful that this status will be awarded to that benefit all community members. the chapter in September 2020. Creating career opportunities for Each Bear Clan Patrol chapter is led and supported by their communities, and they Indigenous Peoples. try to make their organizations as diverse as the communities they serve. The work of each chapter is vital, even more so during Interested in learning more about what we are doing? the difficult times brought about by the INDIGENOUSFIRESAFETY.CA COVID-19 pandemic. With further support and community involvement, the unique chapters of the Bear Clan Patrol can The National Indigenous Fire Safety Council project is managedby the Aboriginal Firefighters Association of Canada continue to ensure the safety of all First Nations members that they serve.70 The Circle Winter Issue 1 2020'