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City updated on life saving Street Angel program
A pair of tragedies a couple of years ago led to a much safer street environment in Cranbrook thanks to Operation Street Angel.
Now operational for the past 18 months, Operation Street Angel came to be after a couple of Ktunaxa Nation residents were found dead in the city a couple of years ago, said Debbie Whitehead, the Ktunaxa Nation’s social investment sector director.
Whitehead provided an overview and update of Operation Street Angel to City of Cranbrook council March 19.
Working in conjunction with the AIDS Network Kootenay Outreach and Support Society (ANKORS), the Women’s Resource Centre and RCMP, the Ktunaxa Nation recognized that nothing was available for Cranbrook’s homeless after 5 p.m.
“We came together” and established Operation Street Angel in October 2010, Whitehead said, adding the 2nd Street North space (building pictured above)was sufficient at first but the success of the program, with more people attending than ever before, fire code issues were coming forward. So a small expansion in the site was concluded recently.
ANKORS manager Gary Dalton said the location has been a bonus for social service providers in the region, who can stop in and meet with visitors.
Additionally, the centre is providing “a sense of dignity and self worth is rising,” with many people utilizing Street Angels.
“There is a sense of decorum” inside “the doorway of Street Angels,” Dalton said.
Since the establishment of the outreach and guidance program, which utilizes the services of people who were formerly street residents, some patterns have begun to emerge, said Ktunaxa Nation communications director Shannon Girling-Hebert.
About 50% of the people who utilize the facility “are young people” and not all the people attending are aboriginal, she said, adding a wide array of services are provided. Fifteen children and 28 youths have used Street Angel, with some as young as 12. Child services was notified when the youngest kids appeared.
“Six lives have been confirmed saved,” Girling-Hebert told council, she said. Additionally, she noted that two regulars of the program graduated high school “while living in tents.”
Whitehead said a nurse practitioner is currently working from the centre 20 hours a week.
“We’re hoping to move to a full-time position” with some help from Interior Health, she said, adding an addictions councilor comes in once a week.
“It’s not all about people with mental health issue or the alcohol and drug addicted. Many, many people come in,” Whitehead said.
Council members expressed their appreciation and gratitude for the work being done by Operation Street Angel.
“It’s a very peaceful place,” remarked Mayor Wayne Stetski, “and it is well used.”
Coun. Gerry Warner asked for more information on how six lives had been saved.
Whitehead provided examples of a person being found unconscious behind the King Eddie. Five minutes more in the elements “and she would be dead.” And a Fernie police officer brought a person into the centre who was complaining of stomach pain.
“His esophagus had ruptured” and if he didn’t receive the medical treatment that followed being brought to the centre, he too would have likely died, Whitehead said.
Dalton noted another person was found by a Street Angel passed out a bush party.
Coun. Diana J Scott said the work being done by the program is vital to the city.
“I slept in the (Rotary) park in October,” she said, referring to a challenge made to get a sense about what the homeless have to contend with. “Some teenagers came in the middle of the night” and kicked the tents and made noise, scaring her, she related.
“Thank you for the great work that you do,” she said, adding, “I didn’t realize you were quite so busy.”
Concluding, Stetski said he looks forward to Operation Street Angel coming to the city for grant money.
Ian Cobb/e-KNOW
