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Local government

Community Comes Together to Develop Emergency Support Services in Central Coast BC

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Community members in Bella Coola and Bella Bella recently received training to be Emergency Support Services (ESS) volunteers, a provincially coordinated program that provides essential services to residents in the event of emergencies such as house fires, wildfires, floods, and tsunamis. The Central Coast Regional District's (CCRD) emergency management program has been working on redeveloping its ESS, with the help of hired program coordinators and part-time emergency planning assistants. The CCRD aims to have engaged ESS volunteers who can deliver locally to their residents and provide 72 hours of essential services, including shelter, food, clothing, and incidentals.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Central Coast Regional District's emergency management program is redeveloping its Emergency Support Services (ESS) program to provide essential services to residents in the event of emergencies.
  • The program has received funding from the Union of B.C. Municipalities and its equipment and training grant funding stream.
  • Community members in Bella Coola and Bella Bella have received training to become ESS volunteers, with 22 participants in Bella Coola and 14 in Bella Bella.
  • Volunteers learned about the introduction to the ESS program, group lodging, and registration and development of referrals for displaced individuals.
  • The CCRD has been working with the Justice Institute of B.C. and partnering with local governments and First Nations to develop the program.
  • Jessie MacDonald, hired as the emergency program coordinator, said that the program is still in the development phase but is ready to move forward and deliver services.
  • Participants in the training sessions included representatives from local government, First Nation, non-profits, credit union, and other organizations.

Statistics:

  • 22 participants from the Bella Coola Valley attended a two-day training session in March.
  • 14 participants from Bella Bella attended a two-day training session in May.
  • The training was held in partnership with the Nuxalk Nation and Heiltsuk Nation, respectively.
  • The CCRD aims to have engaged ESS volunteers who can deliver locally to their residents.
  • The program provides 72 hours of essential services, including shelter, food, clothing, and incidentals.

Sources:

  • Coast Mountain News
  • Justice Institute of B.C.
  • Union of B.C. Municipalities
  • Williams Lake Tribune

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