The Department of Municipal Affairs and Environment is providing fire safety tips in the days leading up to the holiday season through the 12 days of fire safety.

Candles are popular during the holiday season, but these open flames are a common cause of home fires.

December is the peak time of year for candle-caused home fires, many of which start in the bedroom when a candle is placed too close to something flammable such as a sheet or lampshade.

Artificial candles are always preferable but when using a candle with an open flame take the following precautions:

• Always blow out candles when leaving the room or going to bed
• Never burn a candle if medical oxygen is used in your home
• Place candles on a secure, clean surface a safe distance from anything flammable
• Use sturdy candle holders that won’t easily tip over
• Light candles carefully, keeping them a safe distance from loose clothing and hair; and
• Don’t burn a candle all the way down as the heat can ignite some candle holders

The Department of Municipal Affairs and Environment wishes all residents a safe and happy holiday season.

Today, the Inuit Tuberculosis Elimination Framework was released by Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami as a next step in ongoing efforts to address staggeringly high rates of tuberculosis (TB) among Inuit living in Inuit Nunangat.

The release of the Framework follows an announcement in late 2017 by Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami President Natan Obed and the Honourable Jane Philpott, Minister of Indigenous Services, to launch an Inuit TB Task Force,and a joint commitment made in March 2018 to eliminate TB among Inuit in Inuit Nunangat by 2030, with an interim reduction in the reported rate of active TB of at least 50% by 2025.

The Framework reflects input and guidance from the Inuit TB Task Force and the Inuit Public Health Task Group (IPHTG). The IPHTG is made up of representatives from the four Inuit regions alongside provincial, territorial and federal governments.
The Framework describes six priority areas for action and investment:

1. Enhance TB care and prevention programming
2. Reduce poverty, improve social determinants of health and create social equity
3. Empower and mobilize communities
4. Strengthen TB care and prevention capacity
5. Develop and implement Inuit specific solutions
6. Ensure accountability for TB elimination

These priority actions will be used by the four Inuit regions to design and implement TB elimination action plans that are customized to reflect each region’s priorities, needs and strengths. Using this approach will also ensure the interventions and activities described within each action plan are informed by local TB epidemiology and health systems.

The regional TB elimination action plans are expected to be released by March 2019.

Cooking and baking bring families, friends and neighbours together and are an important part of the holiday season. It is important to follow safe practices in the kitchen. Cooking is a leading cause of home fires year-round and particularly so during the holidays.

Cooking tips:

Do not leave your stovetop or oven unattended when in use;
Do not cook if you are impaired by alcohol or drugs;
If cooking food that is submerged in oil, use a pan or fryer with a thermostat control;
Keep anything flammable, such as oven mitts, at a safe distance from sources of heat.

In case of fire:

Always use a fire extinguisher on a grease fire; never use water;

If food catches fire in your oven, turn off the heat and ensure the door remains closed;

Keep a lid nearby when cooking in case it needed to smother very small grease fires. Cover the pan, turn off the stovetop, and leave it alone until it cools;

The main priority is to get out of the home when there is a fire. Evacuate the building and then call 911.

Follow the department on Twitter @MAE_GovNL for more holiday safety tips during the holiday season.

The Department of Municipal Affairs and Environment wishes all residents a safe and happy holiday season. Thank you to all firefighters, fire departments, and the Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Fire Services for your dedication throughout the year.

There are ten people enrolled in Academy Canada in Nain.
Gerry Hapgood is the Instructor.

He says he has been teaching for 42 years.

Hapgood says they can take up to fifteen people, and there are five seats available if anyone would like to go to Academy Canada.

To hear more from Hapgood on Academy Canada in Nain, click HERE.

The MV Astron is heading back out to Lewisporte from the north coast communities.

Duane Canning is the terminal manager in Lewisporte.

He says the MV Astron is sailing back to the Island to load up the last cargo for three of the north coast communities.

Canning says this will be the last cargo to be shipped from Lewisporte.

The MV Astron will make its final run up the coast to the communities in Nain, Natuashish and Makkovik.

He says hard to say when the boat will arrive to Lewisporte but she did get to Rigolet this morning.

But the weather and the wind is not favourable to travel on at this time.

Meanwhile the MV Northern Ranger is expected to arrive Postville at 7pm this evening and unto Makkovik from there and the boat is making its final run to the north coast.

The St. John’s Native Friendship Centre’s name has been known to people for 35 years.

Christopher Sheppard is the Executive Director for the centre.

He says the new name is called First Light now.

Sheppard says they named it First Light, because they are the first place in North America to get sunlight and because they are the furthest east.

To hear more of the First Light in St. John’s, click HERE.

It’s that time of the year when students from the North Coast Schools are gearing up to entertain the communities with their Christmas Concerts.

We contacted each of the schools from Nunatsiavut.

Amos Comenius Memorial students will hold their Christmas concert on Wednesday, December 12th at 6pm in Hopedale.

In Rigolet the Northern Lights Academy K -12 students will be holding their Christmas concert on Thursday, December 13th at 6:30pm at the Gym.

Students of the JC Erhardt Memorial School K – 12 will be holding their Christmas Concert in Makkovik on Thursday, December 13th starting at 6:30pm.

Jens Haven Memorial School will also hold their Christmas Concert on Wednesday, December 19th. As in previous years Grades 1-3 will have theirs in the afternoon from 1-3pm.

And in the evening, the grades 4-12 in Nain will hold their concert at 7pm.

BL Morrison students in Postville will be having their Christmas concert on Thursday, December 20th at 6:30pm at the gym.

All schools along the coast will also be closing for the holidays on Dec. 21st and will re-open on Jan. 7th, 2019.

It’s that time of the year when many people are traveling to be with family and friends for Christmas.

Because of this, Air Inuit has released their schedule for their 2018-2019 Special Holiday flights to Nain.

On December 18, a flight from George River, Quebec departs at 11am and arrives in Nain at 12:30pm.

On the same day, it departs Nain at 1pm and arrives back to George River at 2:30pm.

Air Inuit returns to Nain on Dec. 28 arriving at 12:30pm, then arrives back at George River at 2pm.

And the last flight to Nain for the Christmas holidays is on January 3rd, 2019.

It departs George River at 11am, and arrives Nain at 12:30pm.

Lastly, it departs Nain at 1pm, and arrives George River at 2:30.

For more information, you can call the Air Inuit reservation desk @ 1-800-361 2965.

The Provincial Fisheries and Land and Resources Wildlife Division will be holding a George River Caribou Information Update Presentation.

It will be held in Nain only on Wednesday, December 12, 2018 at 7 pm at the NG Office Boardroom.

So come out and listen to see what they have to say about the George River Caribou information.

Again the information will take place on Wednesday, December 12, 2018.

The Nigivik Centre is now offering new programs for youth to take part in Nain.

Shelly Dicker is the Community Food Coordinator.

She says right now they are looking for youth to participate in the Seal Skin Cleaning workshop for youth from ages 16 years to 35 years.

Dicker says they have 5 to 6 space available for youth.

She added that they are also doing a Seal Skin making workshop next week for three days.

Dicker says this workshop starts on Monday, December 10, 11, and 12 for youth ages 16-35 years.

To find out more from Dicker about the programs at the Nigivik center, click HERE.