UNews - Slave Lake

Kulig research released on Slave Lake

trevor.kenney — Fri, 21 Sep 2012 15:56:58 +0000

A year-long study of people affected by the 2011 Slave Lake, Alberta, Wildfire indicates that as the community continues to recover, particular attention must be paid to families and children.

Dr. Judith Kulig, a ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Health Sciences researcher and wildfire recovery expert, was on the ground in Slave Lake a month after the disaster.

Along with post-doctoral research associate Dr. Anna Pujadas Botey and colleagues from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, Queens, Concordia and Laurentian Universities, Kulig spent the past year surveying families, children, health care professionals, emergency responders, local government officials and educators to get a sense of how the community was, and is, handling the aftermath of the fire.

The May 2011 wildfires affected a large area around Slave Lake and destroyed approximately one third of the town, including homes, the community's library, government offices, businesses and much more. 740 families lost their homes.

The fires resulted in an evacuation of 10,000+ area residents for 12 days, required the combined efforts of some 1,700 emergency responders, and caused an estimated $1 billion of damage.

"This will be no surprise, but we found that parents who were, quite frankly, emotionally drained and stretched to their limits by this event were having trouble supporting their kids – who were equally affected," says Kulig.

"In addition to the displacement caused by the fire, schools were closed, living arrangements were different, and the families were making big decisions: do they rebuild? Do they leave? If their home is gone, where do they live? Even if they had not lost their home, they still had to make sense of what happened."

The researchers also found that there were several supports in place to assist families and children with their emotional and health-related recoveries, which kicked in very soon after the fire, and are ongoing – a positive step that Kulig says is critical to helping the community move forward.

"We noted that several agencies increased their service levels, brought in additional people and launched programs to help people cope. These were excellent responses and we suggest that those programs continue, since the emotional recovery time from a disaster like this can take several years."

Kulig says that, as researchers moved through the community engaging people, they found ample evidence that Slave Lake and area exhibited a solid level of community cohesion and resilience, which is critical to the rebuilding process.

"Despite the huge amount of upheaval, many people initially told us that they were brought closer together as a family because of the fire, and the research bears this out. 92 per cent of the respondents indicated that they were as close, or closer, because of the disaster. As well, we measured family cohesion, which measures a family's ability to work together or relate well to each other, and 89 per cent of respondents said they were as -- or more – cohesive than before the fire."

Kulig cautions, however, that the actual transition back to what some families expressed as 'normal' would not be without challenges.

"We identified six key areas people experienced, and need to be mindful of even now, to ensure they are coping constructively with the disaster's aftermath."

Kulig says that people develop different life goals and priorities. As well, their interactions with their own family members, friends and neighbours and others in the community changed.

"We also noted that people developed new values and perceptions of the important things in their lives. We heard people say a number of times, '…it's just stuff, it can be replaced, but my family can't…'. This is a significant indicator that there is strength and resolve in the community to move forward."

Livingston finds success with FNTP support

trevor.kenney — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 17:35:40 +0000

Growing up in Slave Lake, Alta., some 200km north of Edmonton, you might think the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge would seem like a distant place. But for Maria Livingston, the campus embedded in the coulees was always close to mind.

Several of Livingston's friends and family had already attended and highly recommended studying at the U of L. Still, when the thought of attending university crossed her mind, it often provoked feelings of anxiety and intimidation. Livingston wasn't sure if she could succeed at university, or if she would even fit in to the university culture. That was until she entered the First Nations Transition Program (FNTP).

"It was intimidating at first, attending university, but everything they did for us in FNTP really helped," says Livingston, who credits program services such as academic workshops and the First Nations speaker series with helping her to excel in the classroom and express her cultural identity.

A traditional hoop dancer, Livingston participated in the 2011 Native Awareness Week celebrations.

Now a second-year art and Native American Studies double major, Livingston is an active member of the U of L's vibrant First Nations student community. In addition to her art, she practices traditional hoop dancing and was involved in the 2011 Native Awareness Week celebrations.

In the future, Livingston would like to work with First Nations' youth and encourage them to pursue post-secondary education.

"��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ has opened a lot of doors for me," she says. "I have met so many new people and been given so many opportunities. I want others to have a chance to do the same."

Livingston says she's glad she never succumbed to her feelings of anxiety about attending university and is grateful for all the academic and social experiences she has had at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

Looking at a print she created that was later showcased at the 2011 Career Fair, she remarks, "I just couldn't see myself doing this before I came here."

When asked about the meaning of the artwork, Livingston says the hoops speak to the circle of life, renewal and regeneration.

"They represent struggles. The more hoops you pick up, the harder it is, but you just keep going."

This story first appeared in the January edition of the Legend. For a look at the Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Livingston finds success with FNTP support

trevor.kenney — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 23:20:35 +0000

A traditional hoop dancer, Livingston participated in the 2011 Native Awareness Week celebrations.

In the future, Livingston would like to work with First Nations' youth and encourage them to pursue post-secondary education.

"��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ has opened a lot of doors for me," she says. "I have met so many new people and been given so many opportunities. I want others to have a chance to do the same."

Looking at a print she created that was later showcased at the 2011 Career Fair, she remarks, "I just couldn't see myself doing this before I came here."

When asked about the meaning of the artwork, Livingston says the hoops speak to the circle of life, renewal and regeneration.

"They represent struggles. The more hoops you pick up, the harder it is, but you just keep going."

This story first appeared in the January edition of the Legend. For a look at the Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Slave Lake wildfire focus of Kulig research

trevor.kenney — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 17:26:06 +0000

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge researcher Dr. Judith Kulig will travel to Slave Lake, Alberta and meet with members of the local and municipal governments, First Nations community leaders, and families affected by the recent wildfire in order to learn more about how the people in the community are coping.

The May 2011 wildfires affected a large area around Slave Lake and destroyed approximately one third of the Town, including homes, the community's library, government offices, businesses and much more. 740 families lost their residences.

Even with recent announcements of funding for rebuilding, and financial and moral support from organizations and individuals outside the community, the task of replacing physical structures lost or damaged by the fire is very significant.

More importantly, the process of looking after the physical and emotional well-being of the people affected by the fire and its aftermath -- and how well the community recovers – is what Kulig and her team are looking into. Her initial visit will set the stage for research that is expected to take a year to complete.

Kulig and her colleagues have spent the past decade examining what happens in smaller communities when disaster strikes, and how the overall health of the community is reflected in its ability to recover from disaster.

"Over the past decade, wildfires in Canada have forced nearly 700,000 people from more than 250 communities and caused massive amounts of financial, environmental and personal damage, including job losses, the loss of residents in a community, as well as lingering health and emotional challenges," Kulig said.

"We want to talk to the residents, members of the local and regional governments, the local First Nations communities and anyone who was affected by this disaster so we can gain insight into what can be done for the community as it rebuilds."

Kulig said that the research will focus initially on family experiences, and that community members will be confidentially surveyed in a variety of ways.

"I can't stress enough that the information we gather is confidential, and will not be used in any way to identify anyone. We know it is often very difficult for people to discuss this type of major loss, but the results will hopefully help the community rebuild in a way that factors in their overall physical and personal health."

"We are going to be in Slave Lake on a regular basis and are hoping to talk to families, and we also expect to meet residents at public places like the regular lunch gathering at the Friendship Centre, where we hope to talk to a wide variety of people about their experiences."

The information Kulig and her team gathers will be published independently and will be freely available to communities conducting disaster planning, communities that have experienced a major adverse event, or community members interested in learning more about helping their community recover from a disaster.

Among the different ways the team gathers information, Kulig plans traditional survey methods such as personal interviews and an on-line questionnaire but is also trying something new for this type of project: She hopes to equip families with cameras and have them record their impressions of the community, and have them capture in photos and words what they want Slave Lake and the surrounding area to be like as the re-building process moves forward.

Called 'photo-voice' research, Kulig said it is a method that can often result in surprising insights. "People express their feelings in many different ways, and we're going to try this approach here. We plan to ask people to talk about their photos, and we'd also look at creating an exhibit of the images they produce if the project goes forward."

"Understanding what this community goes through -- and gathering that information in a variety of ways -- will be informative for other communities that experience wildfires and other disasters," Kulig said. "It is also an opportunity for community members to discuss their experiences, and to ensure our findings are useful in the development of policies and/or guidelines in Slave Lake and other communities."

Information about other communities affected by large-scale wildfires can be found at http://www.ruralwildfire.ca. The website houses research results from wildfires in northern Saskatchewan, the BC interior and the Crowsnest Pass area of southwestern Alberta.

To contact the researchers by e-mail, please send a message to wildfire@uleth.ca

A toll-free telephone number is also available: 1-877-382-7119.

Kulig is in Slave Lake until Thursday, August 11 and has met community members, First Nations and regional government officials. She presented to the Slave Lake Town Council on Tuesday, August 9. On a regular basis, Kulig and/or a member of her research team will return to the community to connect with residents as the project progresses.
--30 –
Contacts:
Dr. Judith Kulig, Faculty of Health Sciences, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge
Cell (403) 894-4676 / Toll free 1-877-382-7119
e-mail: wildfire@uleth.ca
+++
Municipal District of Lesser Slave Lake #124:
Allan Winarksi, Municipal Manager
Cell: (780) 805-1142 / Office (780) 849-4888 / Toll free 1-866-449-4888
e-mail: allan.winarski@md124.ca
Website: http://www.md124.ca/
+++
Town of Slave Lake Contact:
John Sparks, Communications Lead, Recovery Operations
Cell (403) 660-8885 / e-mail: jsparks@shaw.ca
Town Office (780) 849-8000 / 1-800-661-2594
e-mail: town@slavelake.ca
Website: http://www.slavelake.ca

Master's studies gain insight into tragedy

trevor.kenney — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 21:27:35 +0000

As news reports filtered out of fire-ravaged Slave Lake, Alta., recently, tales of heroism and perseverance in the midst of personal tragedy riveted the public. The stories took on even more meaning to ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge master's student Ainslee Kimmel, who is completing her thesis by studying the effects of wildfire and the resiliency of people who experience its wrath.

Kimmel's study focus is on the 2009 West Kelowna fire but she couldn't help but draw similarities to the stories she hears about the residents of Slave Lake.

Master's student Ainslee Kimmel pursues a Master in Education degree while working with noted health sciences researcher Dr. Judith Kulig.

"I think a big thing I see that's similar between the two is the factor of the unknown," she says. "A lot of people said the most stressful thing about the fire was the act of being evacuated, and then hearing reports on what parts of town were and were not affected by the fire, not knowing if they had or had not lost everything."

Kimmel, a Calgary native, came to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ with a bachelor of psychology degree from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Victoria. Her goal is to eventually become a registered psychologist, which might seem contrary to her master's work (MEd in the Faculty of Education) at first glance, but it's all by design. She chose the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge over other graduate programs because it is allowing her a more hands-on, practical approach to her vocation.

"The other schools I was accepted to were more research oriented and I wanted to finish my master's with a practical skillset, and I found that here," she says. "It allows me to focus more on counselling as opposed to a master's in health psychology, which puts you in the stream for studying a PhD and possibly teaching."

Working with supervisor Dr. Judith Kulig, an expert in wildfire research and community resiliency from a health sciences perspective, Kimmel sees the practical potential of her findings.

"I just want to know how people cope after something like a wildfire event," she says. "Wildfires in Canada are increasingly a big issue and if we can determine how people cope, hopefully we can develop strategies to help people function better after a wildfire."

Kimmel actually worked with Kulig as a research assistant for a year prior to the beginning of her thesis. Despite the fact that she's pursuing a master's of education degree, she was given special dispensation to have Kulig as her supervisor. She travelled with Kulig to conduct interviews and acquire data following a wildfire event in Barriere, B.C., and is using that experience to guide her through her study of the West Kelowna event.

"Through the work I did with Dr. Kulig, we saw people in Barriere who made it through the fire without losing their homes and yet they had lingering symptoms of depression, while some of those who lost their homes were able to bounce back quicker," says Kimmel. "Understanding how that works and how we can help these people on various levels is the ultimate goal."

While Kulig's research emphasis focuses on community resiliency as a whole, Kimmel's approach, as a psychologist in training, is more specific.

"I felt I could pursue something more on the individual aspects of wildfire," she says, noting that her findings, although preliminary, are not entirely negative. "I'm also looking at how people grow from the experience as a result. It's termed post-traumatic growth in the literature and discusses how people can go through something traumatic and months and even years later benefit from it in terms of developing closer relationships, a better attitude on life and a feeling of strength and confidence that they were able to get through it."

To date, Kimmel has made one trip to Kelowna, interviewing a host of government and firefighting personnel. She expects to return to complete her interviews this fall and will finish writing her thesis over the winter. Kimmel says her excellent relationship with Kulig has been integral to the process.

"She's such a caring person and is really there to help a student. She's also always included me, in terms of authorship, on anything we've worked on," says Kimmel. "We get along so well on a personal level and I don't know if everybody has that with their supervisor – it really can make a difference."

Kimmel's research was made possible by a $17,500 Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council grant.

GET THE FACTS

· Kimmel's study actually includes three fire events in and around West Kelowna in 2009, including: Terrace Mountain Fire (9,277 hectares burned); Glenrosa Fire (400 hectares); and the Rose Valley Fire (200 hectares).

· Only four structures were lost in West Kelowna, despite the potential of losing many more that were threatened, and Kimmel says her preliminary findings show a sense of pride from residents over how the crisis was handled.

· Kimmel accompanied Dr. Kulig to Texas to present findings from her research at an international conference.

This story first appeared in the Legend. For a look at the Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Students earn Roloff Beny awards

trevor.kenney — Fri, 07 May 2010 22:12:17 +0000

The Roloff Beny Foundation Photographic Awards in Fine Arts provides outstanding students in photo-arts with an opportunity for travel in relation to their photographic activity. Any new or continuing students enrolled full-time in any BFA degree program who have a focused interest in photo-arts are eligible to apply for this competitive award.

The Roloff Beny Awards Committee met in January, and after considering a very high quality and competitive group of applications, made the decision to give out three scholarships of equal value in the amount of $3,333 to Jason Jessen (Art), Evan Van Reekum (New Media) and Yan Luo (Art).

Jessen is in his fourth year of study in a BFA in Art Studio program and has proposed to travel to northern Alberta to investigate the Cree aspect of his Yugoslavian/Cree hybrid identity. He will visit his home band, the Big Stone Band at Wabasca near Slave Lake, and do a photographic investigation of his indigenous identity.

Van Reekum is in his third year of study in a BFA in New Media program. His goal is to travel to Ireland with the aim of producing photographic essays concentrating on ideas of history and abandonment.

Luo is finishing his final year in a BFA in Art Studio program. He will endeavour to return to his home city of Shanghai to document issues of surveillance and authority with a new vision altered through his experiences living in North America.

In 2005, the Roloff Beny Foundation endowed $860,000 to the Department of Art, Faculty of Fine Arts, to generate ongoing funding for student scholarships and infrastructure costs in traditional and digital photo-arts.

In recognition of excellence in art instruction and research, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge was one of five institutions across Canada selected for such an endowment. Since then $50,000 in scholarships have been awarded to students studying fine arts at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, providing them with a research-based travel opportunity in conjunction with their studies in photo-arts.

UNews - Slave Lake

Kulig research released on Slave Lake

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