First Nations Emergency Response Association’s (FNERA) mission is to support First Nations in developing Indigenous-led emergency management in Ontario. The association was originally formed in Northwestern Ontario, as 86% of emergencies occur in Ontario’s north. Today, the Association has grown to represent the entirety of Ontario and continues to be First Nation led.

FNERA’s vision is to be the voice and thought leaders alongside First Nation emergency professionals to deliver training, research and support to prepare First Nation communities for future emergencies and crises. By sharing best practices and training, we can equip First Nation communities for future emergencies including wildfire, flooding, infrastructure, health and more. These hazards pose risks to communities, individual health and well-being, especially in First Nation communities, who are among the most vulnerable to climate change due to location, lack of Emergency Services support and reliance on natural ecosystems. By learning from past experience, we bring emergency professionals together to discuss the pillars of prevention/mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery.

Together we can emerge stronger from our collective experiences to be the best help for our communities and avoid further loss our property, our potential and, most importantly, our people.Together we are establishing a shared path to help prepare all First Nations across our lands. Together our planning trajectory is taking us places that, as a nation, we have not been before, but where we now have to be. Together we are building a network of First Nation Led approaches in emergency response, reporting and recovery. Together we are “Emerging Stronger”.