Community Services
Attawapiskat is policed by the Nishnawbe-Aski Police Service, an Aboriginal based service that replaced the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP). This change took place in the early 1990s in most remote northern communities in Ontario. The community is served by the Attawapiskat detachment in the Northeast Region.
Basic health services are provided by the Attawapiskat Wing of James Bay General Hospital (main wing in Moosonee, Ontario), a provincial hospital which provides sixteen beds for pediatric, medical/surgical and chronic care. The hospital replaced St. Mary's Hospital, established by the Catholic Church in 1951, in 1969. Health services are provided by a nursing staff. However, like other remote communities on the James Bay coast, there is no doctor in the community. A physician from Weeneebayko General Hospital in Moose Factory visits Attawapiskat, as well as other communities along the coast on a regular basis during each month. Patients with serious injuries, or those requiring surgery, must be transported to a larger centre for treatment. These emergency patients are transported by air ambulance airplane or helicopter to medical centres in Moose Factory, Timmins, Sudbury or Kingston, depending on their condition.
James Bay General Hospital is being merged with federally operated Weeneebayko General Hospital to improve health care services in the region.
Attawapiskat Health Clinic provides additional outpatient health care services to the community and located across the street from James Bay Hospital Attawapiskat Wing.
Pre-hospital medical care is provided by James Bay Ambulance Service, a service run by Weeneebayko Area Health Authority funded by the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care. The community is served by one EMS base (#02) with two ambulances (one primary and one reserve) for the entire community. There are eight primary care paramedics stationed at this base which operates 24/7/365.
Attawapiskat Fire Rescue consists of a fire department of nine (one fire chief, one lieutenant and seven firefighters) at one station with one pumper.
Maytawaywin Authority provides recreational services at their community centre and sportsplex:
- community hall
- gym
- fields for football, soccer, baseball
Read more about this topic: Attawapiskat First Nation
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