First Nations accidents spur safety training

First Nations leaders are looking for ways to promote safe swimming, snowmobiling and ATV riding after learning that injuries and deaths are more common in their communities.

The Canadian Paediatric Society recently reportedaboriginal youth are four times more likely to be injured during those types of activities.

The report comes on the heels of a serious ATV accident involving a12-year-old First Nations boy. The chain of events has convinced members of the Wabun Tribal Council which represents six First Nations near Timmins to spend more time teaching safety.

Wabun Tribal health director Jean Lemieux said she applies her cultures "seven grandfather" teachings about good safety habits.

"One of the seven grandfather teachings is respect," Lemieux said.

"You have to earn that respect ... and [these teachings show] how you do it."

Other groups are finding culturally specific ways to teach safety, including the Red Cross.

Red Cross instructor Maureen O'Neill designed a swimming safety program for aboriginal youth.

O'Neill said she links different parts of the lesson with the different colours of the First Nations medicine wheel.

"The white, yellow, red, [and] black has a strong message for those communities," she said.

O'Neill added some communities don't have access to safety equipment or lessons because of poverty. She noted more awareness about the issue is needed as well as funding to promote safety training and to purchase safety equipment.