Local Emergency Supports For Evacuees Expand With Provincial Funding

The Strathcona Regional District is narrowing down where new funding will go to better support people that have been displaced from their homes during emergencies.

Last week, the province announced more than $2.2 million from the Community Emergency Preparedness Fund to support communities to expand their capacity to provide emergency support services through volunteer recruitment, retention and training, and the purchase of ESS equipment.

The SRD is receiving $294,630 and says it will help communities build up the capacity to better deliver emergency support to people during stressful situations.

“Our partners with this grant are the City of Campbell River, Ehattesaht First Nation, Homalco First Nation, Ka:’yu:’k’t’h’/Che:k’tles7et’h’ First Nations, Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nation, Nuchatlaht First Nation, and the Villages of Gold River, Sayward, Tahsis, and Zeballos” said SRD Chair Mark Baker. “This application shows the importance and value of relationships and comradery in our regional emergency management system.”

Funding will be used throughout the region to:

• Undertake a Hosting with Humility Emergency Support Services Group Lodging Exercise. Strengthening relationships and building the capacity of our regional Emergency Support Services Team to plan with neighbouring First Nations, local governments and Emergency Management Climate Readiness personnel is our goal.  Collaboratively we will be better prepared to host communities that have been displaced by a disaster.
• Provide Reception Centre and Group Lodging training sessions to ESS volunteers.
• Procure emergency equipment and mass care group lodging supplies such as seacans for storage, lighting for seacans, outdoor toilets, blankets, 50-year shelf-life canned water, generators, stand-up tents, propane stoves, space heaters, radios, and 25-year shelf life dehydrated food rations.

The SRD is also using the opportunity for a little recruitment.

Protective Services Coordinator, Shaun Koopman says being part of the ESS team gives you an opportunity to give back to your community and provides valuable professional development and mentorship.

If you are interested in volunteering a minimum of 20 hours per year, learn more about the ESS at Strathcona Regional District (or contact SRD’s Protective Services Coordinator, Shaun Koopman at 250-830-6702 or preparedness@srd.ca.)