Yukoners and community groups receive Community Safety Awards

2018 Community Safety Awards Recipients
 

Lorraine Graham – Lifetime Contribution to Community Safety

Lorraine Graham has been with the Carmacks’ Volunteer Ambulance Service for 18 years. She has dedicated thousands of hours to ensure the community is adequately covered with EMS volunteer responders and that there is a system that runs smoothly. In 2008, Lorraine became part of the executive for the Volunteer Ambulance Services Society and since then has played a large role in working with all community EMS supervisors in Yukon. This year, Lorraine formed a working alliance with the local fire department to better serve the community with additional resources.
 

Trevor Ellis – Volunteer Award

Trevor Ellis is being recognized for his volunteerism and leadership in the Village of Mayo. Trevor has been on the Village of Mayo Volunteer Fire Department since 1998. He has been the volunteer fire chief since 2010 and previously held positions as Training Officer and Deputy Fire Chief. With fellow volunteers, he helps put on a variety of community events such as a dance on Canada Day, Fireman’s Ball and fireworks on Halloween. With proceeds from the events, the department purchases Christmas gifts for all Mayo children under the age of 12. Trevor is also on the Mayo Volunteer Ambulance Group, the Mayo Recreation Board, Mayo Curling Club, and Village of Mayo Council. Trevor is dedicated to providing recreation programs at no or minimal cost to youth and community members and even finds time to flood the local ice hockey rink.
 

Kwanlin Dün First Nation Community Safety Officer Program – Outstanding Program Award

Kwanlin Dün First Nation’s (KDFN) Community Safety Officer (CSO) program is making a profound difference within the community. CSOs bring understanding and knowledge about the community while working as conduits between members of the KDFN community and agencies associated with the justice system such as the RCMP, City of Whitehorse Bylaw Services, Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods Unit and others. In a short time, the CSO program has made an immediate and noticeable impact on the safety and well-being of the KDFN community.
 

Together for Safety Videos – Outstanding Project Award

The Together for Safety partners are being recognized for the creation a video series and social media campaign to support and provide information for victims of sexualized and domestic violence. Sexualized violence is a complex issue in Yukon and these videos are helping start important conversations and providing a positive social response for those experiencing violence. Together for Safety Partners include: Women’s Transition Home; Victoria Faulkner Women’s Centre; Yukon Status of Women Council; Les EssentiElles; Whitehorse RCMP; Public Service Alliance of Canada North – Women’s Committee; Public Service Alliance of Canada North – Aboriginal Peoples Committee; and GBP Creative.
 

Emergency Response Coordination Centre Yukon, Emergency Medical Services – Outstanding Contribution to Community Safety

The team of highly-skilled public safety specialists – called Emergency Response Coordination Officers (ERCOs) – play an important role in public safety by receiving and managing all 911 emergency medical service requests from Yukoners and guests. This team is being recognized for their exceptional response communication and coordination in all aspects of emergency and non-emergency medical service (EMS) requests and resource deployment. 

This team is also recognized for their important role in coordinating all interagency supports required to assist Yukon EMS operations and overseeing the health and safety of emergency responders when deployed.
 

Jay Lester – Outstanding Contribution to Community Safety

Jay Lester is being recognized for his dedication to public safety as Yukon government’s only Animal Protection Officer and his essential role in implementing the territory's Animal Protection Program. For a decade, he has enforced both the Dog Act and the Animal Protection Act with professionalism, compassion and dedication. He often works in emotional and potentially dangerous situations and continuously demonstrates the ability to connect with both people and animals to achieve peaceful and agreeable outcomes. Jay also goes above and beyond in his enforcement responsibilities to educate and speak to dog owners and communities about their safety concerns.
 

Constable Kelly Manweiller – Outstanding Contribution to Community Safety

Constable Kelly Manweiller provides exemplary policing services to the people of the Yukon through sexualized assault investigations with the Yukon RCMP and through her work with partners such as the Yukon Women’s Transition Home, Victim Services and Project LYNX and the Sexualized Assault Response Committee. She is recognized for the way she successfully investigates, manages and directs a variety of sexualized assault investigations and assists victims from every walk of life. Constable Manweiller works with victims in a dignified manner and acknowledges their feelings and resistance to violence, which contributes both to the victim’s healing and engagement throughout the court process. She is a mentor to other police officers and RCMP employees for her care, compassion and dedication.
 

Corporal Dwayne Latham – Bridge Builder Award

Corporal Dwayne Latham is dedicated and committed to making Yukon a safer place for all. He supports young persons engaged in the justice system, and those at risk of being in contact, in a respectful, empathetic and compassionate manner. He recognizes the needs of victims and communities impacted by harms. Corporal Latham’s humanistic approach is shown through the committees he is tasked with through his portfolio as a Yukon RCMP Community Safety Unit Youth Strategist and in his volunteer activities. He participates in committees that are addressing issues such as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, mental wellness and substance use, crime, housing and homelessness, and youth empowerment. Dwayne’s outstanding impact contributes to the strengths we see in our Yukon communities today. 
 

Royce Freeman – First Responder Award

Royce Freeman is a Highway Foreman being recognized for the remarkable and heroic first aid response he provided when he encountered a single vehicle accident. Kenneth Cooper’s vehicle skidded off the North Klondike Highway and rolled several times into the ditch just South of Twin Lakes. Mr. Cooper was very badly injured, but managed to climb out of the vehicle and up the bank onto the highway. When Mr. Freeman came upon the accident scene, he rendered first aid, braced Mr. Cooper’s neck and drove him directly to Emergency at the Whitehorse General Hospital where Mr. Cooper was subsequently medevac’d to Vancouver for surgery to repair a neck broken in four places.