The Norway House Cree Nation is offering free search and rescue training to residents from April 20 to April 24, 2026. The program is designed to build local emergency response skills in the community by providing foundational training and official certification.
The training sessions include the 20-hour Ground Search and Rescue Basic course and Incident Command System 100 certification. These are standard requirements for volunteers working with the Search and Rescue Manitoba Volunteer Association. The instruction is coordinated through the Manitoba Emergency Services College, which is operated by the provincial Office of the Fire Commissioner.
Norway House Cree Nation, a community located approximately 450 kilometres north of Winnipeg, has been working to expand its local emergency services for years. This latest training initiative builds on a history of local service development that began with the establishment of its emergency medical services in 1998. The community also introduced its first search and rescue training in 2009.
The initiative arrives as the community continues to grow its internal capacity for specialized services. In August 2024, the nation opened the Kinosew Sipi Nanatawiwekamik Health Centre of Excellence, which is currently the largest health centre under First Nations control in Manitoba. Because of the community’s remote location and distance from major urban centres, building local expertise is considered a vital step in ensuring timely responses during emergencies.
