International Critical Incident Stress Foundation, Inc.
International Critical Incident Stress Foundation, Inc.
By: Chaplain Audrey Saganna Sr.
I want to share with you how CISM Response Teams work in a native Alaskan community. I will be focusing on the Arctic Slope region, the northern most region in Alaska. Alaska consists of twelve native regions each geographically and culturally very different from each other. I will be focusing on the Arctic Slope Region., specifically Barrow, Alaska now known as Utqiagvik, AK.
Source: https://ancsaregional.com
Alaska is the largest state in the nation, it is vast, beautiful and each native region is unique and has their own language and cultural traditions. The Arctic Slope Region of Alaska consists of eight Iñupiaq communities, Atqasuk, Nuiqsut, Wainwright, Point Lay, Point Hope, Barrow, Kaktovik, and Anaktuvuk Pass. The only way to travel is by airplane. Withing the Arctic slope region the land is arctic tundra that houses, arctic fox, polar bear, lemmings, snowy owl, and wolf. In the ocean we have seals, fish, and whale. We also get migratory birds every summer.
Iñupiaq cultural values are taught from a very young age and are practiced and lived by. These are: Avoidance of Conflict, Compassion, Cooperation, Family and Kinship, Humility, Humor, Hunting Traditions, Knowledge of Language, Love and Respect, Respect for Nature, Sharing, and Spirituality.
Iñupiaq translates to “real people”: we have survived the arctic for over 4000 years where we have survived from living a subsistence lifestyle. Today we still hunt, fish, and harvest from the land and the sea. Barrow is a whaling community we harvest the bowhead whale. All these practices have been passed down through generations.
In the smaller villages they have 1 or 2 itinerant Community Health Aides, 1 or 2 police officers, and a few volunteers fire, and local volunteer search and rescue. Barrow is the hub of the Arctic Slope Region and has the hub hospital, police and search and rescue. Critical Incidents and Traumatic events are very taxing in a smaller community. Within our communities the local volunteers are part of the fire, EMS ambulance, and the volunteer search and rescue crews. Our Iñupiaq men and women have lived off our land for thousands of years and they are the best resources regards to navigating a land and sea searches for a missing person.
The volunteer men and women who are our local search and rescue teams, EMS, and fire, you see the wisdom in their eyes. They have seen and experienced so much but still are able to laugh, cry, and pray together. We take the best parts of who we are and mesh them with the current tools like ICISF CISM training and other trainings that can provide further resources not only for ourselves but for our Iñupiaq communities.
Things to be aware of when deploying to the Arctic Slope Region.
In 2009 I started working with Chaplain Bert McQueen and Diane Peterson of Alaska Police and Fire Chaplains (APFC). In cooperation with APFC and through the support of Arctic Slope Native Association we offered ICISF CISM training to the first responders in the Arctic Slope region of Alaska. Our community experienced a high rate of suicide, and this was taking a toll on our first responders. Our local police, fire, and volunteer search and rescue would respond to the calls. The extenuating circumstance for these calls is that they knew the person and are directly related to the person they are recovering.
It was my wish to provide more support for our men and women who serve our Arctic Slope communities. After six suicides in a row, I had requested for a CISM Response team to come to Barrow. I had explained to the team the only way they can come is if they understand our process of grieving. So, we held a three day “Healing with Nature” CISM response for the entire community.
The team consisted of a traditional healer, behavioral health aids, counselors, and I. We had food and water, self-help training tables, private areas and group areas for debriefing. My model was used in the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium healing program. From 2009 to 2011 working in cooperation with Chaplain McQueen and Chaplain Peterson, I saw the benefits that CISM training provided to our service men and women.
Throughout the years of service as a Chaplain I have provided many services blending my cultural traditions into the chaplaincy to best accommodate the Iñupiaq population. I have served in multiple capacities helping wherever needed. I have provided security services, responded to suicide calls, crisis intervention on the scene, assisted first responders and medical staff with family support, death notifications, education to staff and first responders. Multiple one-on-one debriefing and groups debriefings, grief support for end of life or trauma patients, and spiritual supports. Due to the location and traditional practices, I lead in the care of the deceased, preparing the bodies for families and performing funerals.
Multi layered and complexed CISM Response—I call this a multi-layered and complexed CISM response because this incident impacted every layer of the community.
One whaling boat had struck a whale and was in the process of towing the harvest to Utqiagvik. The towline had flipped the whaling boat. The whaling boat got caught in some waves as it capsized. The boat captain and one crew member were trapped in the cabin. Nearby whaling boats began to rescue the members of the capsized whaling boat and worked effortlessly to try to get the captain and crewmember out of the cabin. Eventually the two were recovered from the sea and brought to the hospital.
The whole community showed up- families, rescue teams, EMS, and the whalers from the other boats, as these two men were transported to the hospital. First responders lined the hallways as they rotated from room to room tagging in and out of CPR. This continued for an extended period. This compounded the impact of the tragedy. Both men perished.
The AK CISM team was activated, and we flew up to Utqiagvik. After a few meetings with community leaders and gathering information of what is needed we got to work. I can not stress the importance of listing and hearing for what is needed and what the extenuating circumstances are.
We provided diffusing’s, debriefings, community briefings for the First Responders and the whole community. Spending time in the schools with the children as the community processed this tragedy. Part of the healing was for the whalers to return to the hunt in honor of their friend and families. The first whale was celebrated in their honor. As we hunt, we also feed our village. Sharing. Cooperation and hard work are all part of the harvest. This blessing of a whale is shared throughout the entire community.
These are only a few memories that I recall. I have chosen to help our people, through adversities, trial and error, and conquering fear. I have chosen to be the light in the mist of darkness. I have chosen to serve our Iñupiaq people and others across our State of Alaska. Like a Wounded Healer we must conquer many things to heal ourselves, gain wisdom through pain and suffering to be the strength and light to others in need.
My vision is to help in our culture to process through the pain and trauma and not mask it. Being a part of the AK CISM helps provide this. The training with ICISF and the Mitchell model is the standard for support throughout the State of Alaska. I am honored to serve as a First Responder Chaplain and a member of the AK CISM team
Bio
My name is Audrey Saganna Sr. I was born and raised in Utqiagvik formerly known as Barrow, Alaska. I am the eldest daughter of Ronald H. Brower Sr. and Mary Jane Litchard. I am the wife of William Saganna and together we are parents of 5 children and grandparents to a precious granddaughter. I am a lifelong Arctic Slope resident, who recently relocated to Fairbanks, Alaska in 2015.
In 2012 I became a certified chaplain and was given the opportunity to develop the chaplaincy for the Arctic Slope Region. I established a hospital chaplaincy in the hub hospital where I was a part of multiple teams; trauma, sexual assault, end of life, and provided education and critical incident stress management to the first responders. In 2013-2014 I was recognized by the Alaska Police & Fire Chaplains for my Outstanding Service as Chaplain in Utqiagvik, Alaska. In 2015 I was recognized for chaplain of the year. I completed Chaplain Academy in April 2017. Currently I am completed the ICISF Assisting Individuals in Crisis, Group Crisis Intervention, Suicide, and Advanced Group along with FEMA Emergency Management certification in 100, 200, 700, and 800, I have 14 years of social services work history, and a member of the Faith Community.
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