Nuu-Chah-Nulth Tribal Council is calling for urgent support from governments to stop preventable deaths in the 14 First Nations it represents.

SACRAMENTO — The City of Sacramento submitted a proposal Monday to declare a state of emergency over pedestrian safety and traffic deaths. The initiative comes after the third fatal vehicle versus pedestrian accident this month.

The Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council says funding is needed to support overwhelmed workers in their communities and to build detox and rehabilitation centres, after a string of deaths.

The council is now calling on the provincial and federal governments and health authorities to resource strategies that take swift and meaningful action to combat the drug crisis.