SIKSIKA NATION STATE OF LOCAL EMERGENCY UPDATE for January 14, 2024

The State of Local Emergency (S.O.L.E.) in Siksika will remain in effect today as temperatures remain around -30 today and into the night as a precautionary measure. The Siksika Nation Emergency Management team has been working around the clock since yesterday morning responding to several calls from residents who woke with no heat in their homes due to a widespread ATCO gas outage affecting the area. 

Over 900 houses in the affected area were impacted by the outage which began around 7:00 am on Saturday morning in Siksika putting an immediate strain on services including the after-hours dispatch phone line. During the first few hours of the outage, the dispatch line received hundreds of calls from Siksika residents who had no heat in their homes however the Emergency Management team was already on call and had enacted a plan prior to S.O.L.E. to prepare for such issues resulting from the extreme cold weather event that rolled in on January 11th, 2024. Work began immediately to address these concerns and will continue throughout the day. 

Calls for support have since dissipated as staff continue to be sent out to assist Siksika residents with getting electric heaters for their homes while their furnaces are being repaired or reset, picking up medicine, and food for Nation members who cannot travel including elders and those with medical conditions. For extreme cases some families have been set up in hotels as the emergency management team continues to address ongoing furnace issues or medical requirements and/or appointments. 

This coordinated effort is led by Siksika Nation Chief and Council, the Emergency Management Team that includes Emergency Services Director Tom Littlechild and the Tribal Administration Acting Tribal Manager Tom Many Heads and their teams as well Related Bodies including Siksika Health Services, Siksika Family Services and Siksika Board of Education. 

Currently there are approximately 50 homes that remain without heat or related issues and are currently being followed up by the appropriate departments and services who continue to work with the Emergency Management Team. 

We ask Siksika Nation residents who continue to have heating issues or have new concerns relating to S.O.L.E. to call the main dispatch phone number at 403-734-3815. 

The Emergency Management Team is scheduled to be out on call again today and have set up the following supports that Nation members can access in the event of an emergency.

Emergency Management Plan for January 14, 2024

• The Siksika Deerfoot Sportsplex (24 hours) and Chief Crowfoot School (10 AM – 6 PM) will remain open to Siksika Nation members today who continue to have heating issues or for any new issues that may arise today and tonight. Food is available on site. Cots are also available. Please bring your own pillow and blanket.

• Transportation is available to Siksika Nation members who need a ride to the Sportsplex or Chief Crowfoot School. 

• Hotel accommodations are available for families with elders and children who still have no heat in their homes. 

• Other issues that may arise because of the extreme cold weather including emergency support to off-reserve members who have also been impacted by the cold. 

• All Animals Services requests. If it is too cold for you outside, it is too cold for your pets. Keep them indoors until the temperature warms up. 

***Please note that all calls are dealt with on case-by-case basis and our team will follow up with each call accordingly. Your patience is appreciated.  

If you require emergency assistance, please call the dispatch number at: 403-734-3815