Emergency Support Services is in need of volunteers to help out their fellow citizens.
In the event of an emergency, Emergency Support Services volunteers work to provide food, lodging, clothing, emotional support and family reunification for New West residents who have been evacuated from their homes. Depending on the extent of the emergency, volunteers may help open a reception centre in a local facility so evacuees have a place to meet to get assistance and information.
“It’s a great way for you to give back to your community and assist people that are in need,” said assistant deputy fire chief Rob Dick.
New Westminster Fire and Rescue Services is now overseeing Emergency Support Services, a program previously offered through the New Westminster Police Department.
“I’ve started it from the ground and am trying to build it up and get it going,” said Dick, the city’s Emergency Support Services manager. “We didn’t have any returning volunteers from the previous group. We are recruiting from zero. I’ve got eight right now.”
Dick’s goal is to get about 25 volunteers. Volunteers must be at least 16 years of age, be in good health, have a valid B.C. driver’s licence and do a criminal record check.
Along with some basic online training offered at no charge by the Justice Institute of British Columbia, volunteers can access specific training that’s available in some jurisdictions.
“There could be reception centre training, registration and referral training,” Dick said. “They offer it free of charge to the ESS volunteers. That course is taught by JIBC instructors.”
Volunteers would need to commit to four to six hours per month for meetings, free training and exercises.
“There is not a lot of activations, which is a good thing,” Dick said about reception centre activations. “But at the same time I need to keep them engaged and we can do that through the monthly meetings, which would be training-specific. And keeping it light and fun – they are volunteers. We will also do an annual exercise, which may be the activation of a centre in one of our civic buildings.”
Fire Chief Tim Armstrong said the program was originally provided by the police department because it had Block Watch and Victims Services programs. In most jurisdictions, he said, the program falls under Emergency Management – a program administered locally by the fire department.
“It’s kind of an arm of Emergency Management,” he said of Emergency Support Services. “If you have disaster, if you have a large fire or flood that displaces people, then Emergency Support Services would kick in and look for lodging and support people that are displaced in the community.”
The Emergency Support Services program has a continuous intake for volunteers, so people are welcome to sign up anytime. Details about the program and volunteer application forms can be found at www.newwestcity.ca (go to Services, Public Safety, Fire and Rescue Services, and then Emergency Support Services) or at 604-519-1000.
