A team of disaster response volunteers has arrived in Timmins to help with the COVID-19 situation.
Team Rubicon volunteers will help provide additional aid and resources in Timmins and Moosonee, which are both under states of emergency, according to the Cochrane District Social Services Administration Board (CDSSAB).
While COVID-19 cases across Ontario are decreasing, numbers in the Porcupine Health Unit are continuing to rise.
"Team Rubicon's arrival is greatly appreciated," said Timmins Mayor George Pirie, who is also the CDSSAB chair, in a news release.
"We want to ensure that our community has every available resource at our disposal to fight this pandemic. Being able to draw on Team Rubicon's wealth of experience in emergency response is invaluable."
The organization made up of volunteers who are veterans, first responders and civilians was contacted by the Provincial Emergency Operations Centre on behalf of CDSSAB.
In Timmins, Team Rubicon will help CDSSAB with coordination and food distribution to help community isolation efforts. Other operational support will also be offered as required.
Friday, volunteers will travel north to Moosonee and coordinate with existing social services to make sure food security and resources are being met.
This mission is the team's seventh recent deployment to provide support in Northern Ontario.
