Flowchart: Indigenous Services Canada COVID-19 emergency response process

First Nation on-reserve community and chiefs

• First Nation activates Emergency Response Plan
  • First Nation responds to emergency
• First Nation chief contacts:
  • Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) Regional Office (Regional Operations/First Nations and Inuit Health Branch)
  • province, territory or Canadian Red Cross depending on emergency management agreement
• Is additional federal assistance needed?
  • if no, go to: Regional response
  • if yes, go to: Additional federal help

Regional response

• ISC Regional Office (Regional Operations/First Nations and Inuit Health Branch)
  • assesses emergency and proposed response with First Nations, provinces, territories and public safety regional offices
  • informs ISC headquarters on status and next steps being taken
• ISC headquarters notifies:
  • Government Operations Centre
  • ISC senior management
  • other relevant federal, provincial, territorial and First Nations partners
• Regional nurses and health staff coordinate, manage and put into effect plans, processes and practices to help protect First Nations community members

Additional federal help

If additional federal help is needed, the provincial or territorial emergency operations centre:

• contacts Public Safety Canada Regional Office
• submits a Request For Assistance (RFA)
• notifies ISC Regional Office (Regional Operations/First Nations and Inuit Health Branch)

National response Indigenous Services Canada, regional Government of Canada support

• ISC Regional Office (Regional Operations/First Nations and Inuit Health Branch) contacts Public Safety Canada Regional Office
• Public Safety Canada Regional Office connects with relevant federal, provincial or territorial departments, First Nations partners, and, where relevant, companies and organizations
• Public Safety Canada Regional Office coordinates with the province or territory, ISC and/or Canadian Red Cross
• If resolution is not possible at regional level, the Request for Assistance will be sent to Government Operations Centre for elevated response
• ISC senior management informed on action
• ISC First Nations and Inuit Health Branch headquarters coordinates best health and medical practices for emergency, including accessing personal protection equipment stockpile if necessary, and working with other partners as required, such as Public Health Agency of Canada

Whole of government response

• Government Operations Centre
  • receives Request for Assistance from provincial or territorial emergency operations centre or ISC Regional Office
  • seeks additional help from federal partners, which may include Canadian Armed Forces
• ISC Regional Office
  • continues to monitor the situation
  • reports to ISC headquarters when First Nation returns to pre-emergency condition