Tag Archives: safety

Be Fire Safe – Fire Extinguishers Available

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The Housing Department has received several fire extinguishers, compliments of Ontario First Nations Technical Services Corporation. We have a limited number available free to residents of Neyaashiinigmiing on a first-come-first-served basis. The fire extinguishers will be available to be picked up the week of May 17 – 21, from the Housing Department. Please contact the Housing Department at 519-534-1195, by May 14, 2021, to have your name and address added to the list.

Please note, this notice is for private mortgage holders only.

Spring Driving Tips

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Driving Safety

With the early signs of Spring weather approaching and drier road conditions, there is a tendency for driving speeds to increase within the community. The warmer weather also brings an increase of pedestrians of all ages on our roadways, including children and elders using slow moving mobility scooters.

It is especially important to reduce speeds in poor road and lighting conditions. Be mindful of pedestrians walking along the roadway, who can be difficult to see. Cyclist and pedestrians are encouraged to have portable lights and wear bright clothing or reflective markings after dark.

The absence of sidewalks in the community presents an increased safety risk. Be alert and drive responsibly for the safety of yourself and others.

Speeding. What’s It Worth To You?

Even modest speed decreases can significantly reduce your risk of a collision or loss of control.  It is estimated that the required stopping distance at 50 km/hr can be 12-14 metres shorter than at 60 km/hr. Your stopping distance increases with higher speeds as well as poor road conditions such as snow, rain or even gravel. Speeding also hits your pocketbook. It increases your fuel consumption, brake and tire wear as well as other mechanical components of your vehicle.

The Highway Traffic Act of Ontario governs the rules of the road, including speeding, and it is enforceable within Neyaashiinigmiing. Our police officers will be conducting increased radar enforcement within the community in an effort to reduce speeding and increase the safety of our roadways. A speeding ticket fine for going 20 km/h over the speed limit is $95.00, plus three demerit points and an increase in your auto insurance rate.

Other Penalties You May Not Know

  • Speeding tickets have penalties that can last for 3 years or more.
  • Insurance rates – Each conviction increases insurance rates!
    • 1st speeding conviction: 10% increase
    • 2nd speeding conviction: 25% increase
    • 3rd speeding conviction: 100% increase
  • Demerit points
    • Speeding tickets over 15 km/hr have demerit points
    • Accumulating demerits causes licence suspensions
  • Employment
    • Many employers have restrictions for convictions and driving records
  • Suspensions
    • For novice drivers (G1 and G2 Drivers), any ticket for 30 km/hr or more over the limit has a 30 day licence suspension

Stunt Driving

Section 172 of the Highway Traffic Act sets out the offences of Stunt Driving/Racing. Offences under this section include any operation of a vehicle 50 km/hr or more above the speed limit. This offence carries serious immediate penalties, including an immediate 7-day driver’s licence suspension and 7-day vehicle impoundment at the owners/drivers expense. If convicted, you may face a fine of $2000 to $10,000, including any additional term of licence suspension.

Let’s all make an effort to be respectful and courteous of everyone using the roadways. Responsible driving starts with you. Slow down and be safe.

Vince Wurfel
Supervisor
Neyaashiinigmiing First Nation Police

Safe Winter Driving Tips

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Driving during winter weather and road conditions requires extra caution and preparedness to increase your safety and minimize risk. Following a few basic tips will help you and your passengers arrive safely at your destination.

Prepare Your Vehicle for Winter

  • Install four winter tires on your vehicle. The tread design and rubber compound of a winter tire differs from all-season tires,  improving traction and reducing stopping distance on snow and ice.
  • Make sure your vehicle is properly maintained. Ensure your windshield wipers are in good condition. Wipers designed for winter are best. Keep the washer fluid reservoir adequately filled with winter washer fluid.
  • Try to keep your gas tank at least half full at all times.
  • Keep an emergency winter kit in your vehicle. Some useful items include, blanket, winter clothing, booster cables, portable shovel, flashlight, and a non-perishable emergency food supply ( nuts, dried fruit and protein bars work well).

Winter Driving

  • Adjust your driving according to road and weather conditions. Slow down and allow greater stopping distances. Give yourself extra time to reach your destination.
  • Avoid quick acceleration, hard braking and abrupt turns. All of these actions risk the loss of traction and steering control.
  • Before driving, take time to properly defrost and clean your vehicle of snow including headlights and tail lights. You will see better and others will see you better.
  • Drive with your headlights and tail lights on at all times. (Daytime running lights will not illuminate tail lights on most vehicle models).
  • Watch for snow plows, sanders and other road maintenance equipment. Give them space to safely perform their jobs.
  • Obey closed road signs. Roads are closed for your safety. Travelling on closed roadways may also void your vehicle insurance coverage.
  • The safest option is to avoid travel during poor weather and road conditions unless absolutely necessary.

Enjoy a safe and happy holiday!

Vince Wurfel, Supervisor
Neyaashiinigmiing First Nation Police

Celebrate a Safe and Happy Holiday Season

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It has been nine months since we started protection measures to keep band members safe from COVID-19. Many people are now experiencing “COVID-19 fatigue” or “anticipatory stress disorder”. As the Christmas season approaches, we all just want to spend time with our family and friends.

“As we head into the holiday season, I encourage Canadians to take some time today to make a plan for safer holidays, ensuring that you consider the risks to yourself and your loved ones. Our best protection, now and into the holiday season, is to limit errands and outings to the essentials, keep in-person social activities to our existing household and strictly and consistently maintain public health practices. That doesn’t mean we can’t continue to find safe ways to have the meaningful celebrations that are so important for maintaining our traditions and social connections.”
– Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer,

The safest way to celebrate is to do so only with those who are currently in your household (people who live with you, they don’t necessarily have to be your family members) or virtually (for instance, using teleconferencing or telephone calls).

If you are going to invite others in, choose people who have been sticking to the safety measures of wearing a mask, washing their hands often and maintaining social distancing.

You can also consider an outdoor celebration during the day, or around a fire in the evening. Note that being outdoors decreases the risk of transmission, but doesn’t eliminate it. You must still remember the “3 W’s”: Wear a mask, Wash your hands, and Watch your distance.

Please don’t attend any celebrations if:

  • You have been diagnosed with COVID-19,
  • You have any symptoms of COVID-19,
  • You are waiting for the result of a COVID-19 test,
  • You have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, or
  • You are at elevated risk of COVID-19 infection (over 65 years old, chronic disease)

Some tips to remember if you are hosting an event:

  • Ask your guests to wear a mask except when eating or drinking,
  • Have hand sanitizer available,
  • Clean commonly touched surfaces, such as light switches, door knobs, etc. often
  • Avoid potluck, buffet or family style dinners,
  • Encourage your guests to bring their own food and drinks,
  • Have one person, who is wearing a mask and gloves, plate the food and serve,
  • Use disposable plates and cutlery.

If at all possible, postpone travel, particularly to or from red zones. If you are having guests from areas with a high number of COVID-19 cases, encourage your guests to self-isolate for 14 days before coming to see you. Guests coming from outside the community should avoid public places such as restaurants, gas station, stores.

Keep yourself as healthy as possible by getting proper sleep, fresh air and healthy meals. Get your flu shot and stay away from people who are ill. Don’t forget to take care of your mental health. The holiday season often brings feelings of stress, loneliness and isolation. It’s okay to have those feelings, particularly this year. Consider engaging in activities that can reduce your own stress, like meditation, calling family or friends, reflecting on all that you are grateful for, or simply helping others.

Remember the public health measures that the Chief and Council have put into place: wear masks when out in public, restrict indoor gatherings to no more than 10 people not from your household, and outdoor gatherings to no more than 25 people not from your household.

Our understanding of the COVID-19 virus is constantly developing. While there are currently no positive cases in Neyaashiinigmiing, the Grey Bruce counties have changed status from a green zone to yellow because of the increase in cases in the local area. With that in mind, even though we are all tired of the need for ongoing precautions, it’s important that we continue to be careful and observant of safety protocols as long as necessary.

This will be a holiday season like none we have ever seen. We have spent the past nine months doing all we can to prevent COVID-19 from entering the community. Please, continue to be strong and vigilant for our relations, friends, and community. There is light at the end of the tunnel with a vaccine expected to be available in the new year. We will make it through this together.

We wish everybody a safe and happy Christmas and New Year!

Online Introduction to Boating Safety Presentation

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Transport Canada’s Office of Boating Safety, in collaboration with the Coast Guard, is offering an online presentation Introduction to Boating Safety. The program will cover diverse boating safety topics and is open to participants of any age. This is a great opportunity to give the kids in your home a solid foundation in safe boating or build your own knowledge.

This free online class will be held on Monday, November 30, at 4:00 PM.

Interested members are asked to contact Ryan Lauzon, Nawash Fisheries Assessment Biologist at nawash.fisheries@gmail.com to register for the training.

Safe Use Of The Government Dock At Neyaashiinigmiing

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The Neyaashiinigmiing Dock is for use by all community members and community fishermen are welcomed. The following are some principles for safe use of the Government Dock by all.

 1.     No welding at dock.

2.     Vehicles may drive onto the dock to service vessels, but please park the vehicles off the dock to allow access for other community members.

3.     Fish offal is not to be left onboard and should be dumped in the designated area on Prairie Road.

4.     Fish offal or bilge water should not be dumped within 2 kilometers of the water intake to avoid contamination of the Nations water supply.

5.     All fishing gear is to be kept off the dock in the designated area. This is of strongest concern during the warm weather when members are swimming

6.     Swimmers need to be aware that there is a strong current, at times similar to a rip tide. Swimmers should use caution and not swim alone.

7.     Please keep boat launch clear unless launching or retrieving a vessel to allow others to use it.

Driving Safety

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Driving Safety

With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, most of us have experienced changes in our daily routines. We are all working hard to reduce our health risks. Let us not forget about our traffic safety risks.

There is a noticeable decrease in vehicle traffic, both within and outside of our community. This should not be viewed as a licence to drive faster. More than ever, road safety should be a priority. Children are not in school during the week as we are accustomed to. They are walking, cycling and playing at all times and days of the week. Children can be carefree and not always thinking of their safety. With the arrival of warmer Spring weather, there will be an increase of pedestrians of all ages on our roadways, including elders using slow moving mobility scooters. Slow down. For you. For them.

Speeding. What’s It Worth To You?

Even modest speed decreases can significantly reduce your risk of a collision or loss of control. It is estimated that the required stopping distance at 60 km/h is 12-14 metres longer than at 50 km/h. Your stopping distance increases with higher speeds and poor road conditions such as snow, rain or even gravel. Speeding also hits your pocketbook. It increases your fuel consumption, brake and tire wear, as well as other mechanical components of your vehicle.

The Highway Traffic Act of Ontario governs the rules of the road, including speeding, and is enforceable within Neyaashiinigmiing. Our police officers will be conducting increased radar enforcement within the community, in an effort to reduce speeding and increase the safety of our roadways. A speeding ticket fine for going 20 km/h over the speed limit is $95.00, plus three demerit points and a probable increase in your auto insurance rate. All of this in addition to increased safety risks, while saving less time than you think by speeding.

It is especially important to reduce speeds in poor road and lighting conditions. Be mindful of pedestrians walking along the roadway who can be difficult to see. Cyclist and pedestrians are encouraged to wear bright clothing or reflective markings after dark.

Let’s all make an effort to be respectful and courteous of everyone using the roadways. Responsible driving starts with you. Slow down and be safe.

Vince Wurfel
Supervisor
Neyaashiinigmiing First Nation Police