Streamlined training for volunteers and new funding for Emergency Support Services will better support evacuees in the mid-Island region
PORT ALBERNI – BC NDP MLA Josie Osborne says more Emergency Support Services (ESS) responders in the mid-Island region will be prepared to provide support to evacuees during emergencies thanks to new streamlined training and increased ESS funding.
“British Columbians come together and support each other during emergencies,” said Josie Osborne, MLA for Mid Island-Pacific Rim. “This new training and equipment for local Emergency Support Service responders will help communities prepare and respond effectively in crises to keep their neighbours safe.”
The B.C. government is launching a one-day training model for ESS responders in response to feedback from communities and input from the Premier’s Expert Task Force on Emergencies. The new training, which starts May 4, condenses the current week-long training model, allowing people to rapidly become trained as an ESS responder during emergencies. This will make the training more accessible for many people who want to be volunteers. The course will prepare new ESS responders to provide trauma-informed and culturally safe support both in-person or by phone, which will help provide more ESS responders across B.C. in places that might not have a large volunteer capacity.
The government is also supporting almost 100 local ESS projects with more than $3.27 million through the Community Emergency Preparedness Fund (CEPF). Funding will help communities expand their capacity to provide ESS, as well as support the modernization of their ESS program to include more digital and remote support options.
In Mid Island-Pacific Rim, the following First Nations and local governments are receiving this strain of ESS funding:
- Alberni-Clayoquot RD – Building Capacity and Strengthening Resilience in the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District Emergency Support Services
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- Approved amount: $60,000.00
- Tseshaht First Nation – ESS Equipment and Training
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- Approved amount: $29,985.10
- Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ Government – Emergency Support Services Development Project
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- Approved amount: $30,000.00
- Ditidaht First Nation – ESS Evac trailer – Supplies Part 2
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- Approved amount: $29,928.42
The CEPF helps communities to better prepare for and mitigate the impacts of climate-related emergencies by funding local projects and initiatives in several categories. These include disaster-risk reduction and climate adaptation, public notification and evacuation-route planning, and emergency operations centre equipment and training.The Province has invested $369 million into the CEPF since its establishment in 2017. Approximately $176 million has been provided to First Nations and local governments through the CEPF for more than 1,800 projects. This includes over $13.5 million to support local ESS teams.
More information: https://news.gov.bc.ca/30476