Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Just in light of my Member's statement on Friday about service gaps for emergency services, the Minister of Health and Social Services gave me a little bit of direction of where to go with this. I have some questions for the Minister of MACA. I live in a small community, and I wanted to take first aid training or first responder training. Where would I go? Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This was a question that I did bring back to my department, and I wanted to know because, when governments are established, industry, whatever, we are supposed to have a safety arm to every organization, making sure that we do offer those services. Bringing that back to the School of Community Government, I asked about the fire safety training that we do have and the first aid, looking at the procedures that we do have to encourage work safety. Within the School of Community Government, we do offer first aid, and we do offer safety training, as well, also looking at the fire safety, as well, and looking at the training that we provide significantly to making sure that we do provide safety when fighting fires.
There was also training that was supported in terms of the automated external defibrillator, training in response to a motion of the Legislative Assembly in 2014. MACA tapped into some federal funding and supported the purchase and implementation of the automated external defibrillator to mass-assembly buildings. We also supported training to the use of the defibrillator. This was done through a partnership with the NWTAC, NWT Fire Chiefs Association, and the Heart and Stroke Foundation. As part of this project, it was recommended that all communities note the location of the automated external defibrillator training in their emergency plan when they are looking at submitting for their capital plan. I brought this back to my department to make sure that safety is taken very seriously, and we have acknowledged the need in the smaller communities. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Before we move on, colleagues, please just take your time. Our interpreters are having a little difficulty keeping up, so just be mindful. Thank you. Oral questions. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.
Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker, and thank you for that very thorough response. This training is so important. I spoke with one of my constituents who works with the volunteer fire department for Fort Resolution, and she said it runs out. It's very important that we keep our training updated. Even through times of COVID, life still has to go on, so I just thought I would speak to that. I commend all of the volunteer fire fighters and first responders in our communities. It's a tough job and very, very necessary, very needed. My next question for the Minister: does MACA track the number of people trained in first aid training and first responder training in the Northwest Territories?
Since the training is an opportunity that is offered through the School of Community Government, MACA does keep a list of people who we have trained. However, if they have received training outside of Municipal and Community Affairs, the School of Community Government, we do not keep track of those numbers if it's provided privately.
Again, thank you for that. Going back again, I heard AEDs mentioned, so does MACA keep track of how many AEDs we have in our smaller communities?
That information, I do not have on hand, but I will follow up with the Member.
Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.
Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Like I said, I am going to keep pressing for this, like I said, a very glaring service gap. I am going to keep on pressing, make sure that we get some real responses. That is something so undignified, so maybe I will leave it at that. Marsi cho.
Thank you, Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. Would the Minister like to respond? I will take that as a comment. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.
