Canadian Rangers play key role in evacuations

A total of 55 Canadian Rangers went on active duty in five communities and another 136 on standby status in 14 communities during the recent evacuations of about 3,500 residents of First Nations threatened by forest fires in northern Ontario.
Rangers played key roles in the evacuation of Sandy Lake and the partial evacuations of Eabametoong, Kasabonika Lake, Kingfisher Lake and Deer Lake. The partial evacuations were for the elderly, sick, pregnant mothers, and mothers with children.
“It was really good, all the Rangers were excellent, and they did a fantastic job,” said Capt. John McNeil, operations officer for 3rd Canadian Ranger Patrol Group at Canadian Forces Base Borden, which commands the 500 Rangers in northern Ontario. “They showed leadership and the value of the Rangers to their communities and to Canada.”
The Rangers helped prepare aircraft passenger manifests, notified evacuees and got them to evacuation aircrafts.
They worked with the military aircraft crews to help fly most of the evacuees to safety. Some Rangers remained in their communities to liaise with First Nation and other government agency officials.
They were also a vital military link between their communities and a special operations centre established for the emergency at the Canadian Ranger headquarters at CFB Borden.
Many Rangers flew with evacuees to various reception centres across the province where they acted as liaison officers with local authorities and aid agencies.
Three Rangers flew from Lac Seul to assist in the partial evacuation of Deer Lake.
“They were deployed because Deer Lake, which doesn’t have a Ranger patrol, is in our area of responsibility,” Capt. McNeil said.
“It was a great experience to be able to help Deer Lake,” said Sgt. Brad Ross of the Lac Seul patrol. “I think the military air- crew were a bit surprised to see us but they were glad that we were there to help them.”
For Rangers in Sandy Lake, which underwent a complete evacuation, it was the second time they have played a vital role in a fire evacuation. The first was when a forest fire forced the community to evacuate in 2002.
“It was a good feeling to see the Rangers serving Sandy again,” said Sgt. Carson Fiddler in Sandy Lake. “The first few nights this time we only got three or four hours sleep. But it’s what we’re here for.”