Four months pregnant, Marina Head from Red Earth Cree Nation, arrived in Regina with her husband and her six children on Tuesday morning around 2 a.m.

Head said it was a very uncomfortable ride for her and her family as they made the journey here in one of the 3 school buses.

“We came in the bus. It was tiring and I had a back ache when I got in; the bus was stuffy because we could not open the windows, there was no air-conditioning, and heat was coming out of the vents,” said Head.

Head says when they arrived at the Credit Union Eventplex, it was a bit hectic and the level of noise that night was loud. Now that they have been here for a few nights, it gets better with each day.

“The kids were ok last night. The younger kids kept falling from the cots the first night we were here, as they did not have enough play pens, but they got lower level cots for them now,” said Head.

Head says the cots were hard to sleep on especially for expecting mothers. The chief and headmen from their community bought sponge mattresses for them to make their nights more comfortable.

She said it is not easy being in a new place with six children. The first day was especially hard as there were hardly any activities going on to interest the kids or hold their attention for very long.

“It’s getting better, better than yesterday; we couldn’t do anything with the kids the first day we were here,” said Head.

She said the kids are now occupied with bouncy houses, face painting, crafts, and a gym was opened up for them to go play in.

The Red Cross have also boosted up security for the evacuees and no one can go in without a bracelet.

The evacuees are required to sign in and out when they leave the premises. It is said to be for the safety of the children, if they happen to wander off.

Head stated it was the chief and headmen who are the ones making the decisions of when they will go home, and for now they think it will not be until Saturday or Sunday.

Head said it is a lonely feeling being away from home and hopes they will be going home soon.

Related story: Red Earth evacuees head far south for better air

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