Emergency Social Services (ESS) is a component of the Provincial Emergency Program of the Province of British Columbia. ESS are those services required to preserve the well-being of people affected by an emergency or disaster. Teams are established in local municipalities and assemble together for meetings and contingency planning.
Although ESS is designed to provide services to individuals affected by large complex disasters or emergencies, ESS may also be provided during smaller emergencies; for example a single house fire or emergencies affecting 1 to 2 families in a community.
ESS provides temporary relief to individuals and families so they can begin to plan their next steps to recover after a disaster.
ESS provides primary services such as:
food;lodging;clothing; and family reunification.
ESS may also provide specialized services such as:
emotional support services; first aid; child minding; pet care; and transportation services
ESS teams assist people affected by disaster, usually at Reception Centres. Reception Centres may be located at the local community centre, recreation centre, church, or school.
ESS teams may also provide services in the following settings:
outreach services to those unable to leave their homes; mass care (lodging and feeding) to evacuees during a major disaster; on-site services to response workers and others.
British Columbia is Canada's third largest province, and its most mountainous. PEP divides the province into regions for manageability reasons.
Vancouver Island Region: covers the Island, and much of the coastal region of the corresponding mainland including the following regions:
Victoria Capital
Cowichan Valley
Nanaimo
Alberni - Clayoquot
Powell River
Comox - Strathcona
Mount Waddington
South West region: is the most populated, and includes the Lower Mainland and the Fraser Valley, and it includes
Sunshine Coast
Squamish - Lillooet (but not including the communities of: Birken, Bralorne, Gold Bridge, Pavilion, Lillooet, Seton Portage, Shalalth)
Central Region: takes in the Thompson-Okanagan area and parts of the Columbia-Shuswap
Thompson - Nicola
Okanagan - Similkameen
Central Okanagan
North Okanagan
Squamish - Lillooet (only including the communities of: Birken, Bralorne, Gold Bridge, Pavilion, Lillooet, Seton Portage, Shalalth)
Columbia - Shuswap (only the area including the communities of: Anglemont, Falkland, Salmon Arm, Sicamous, Canoe, Malakwa, Sorrento, Tappen)
South East Region: includes the Kootenays and most of the Columbia-Shuswap
Kootenay Boundary
Central Kootenay
East Kootenay
Columbia - Shuswap (not including the communities of: Anglemont, Falkland, Salmon Arm District, Sicamous, Canoe, Malakwa, Sorrento, Tappen)
North East Region: the second largest, comprises the North Coast, including the Charlottes, Skeena, Bulkley–Nechako, and along the Alaska and Yukon borders.
Northern Rockies
Peace River
Fraser - Fort George
Cariboo
Central Coast
North West Region: the largest in the province, takes in the Peace River Country, Cariboo and Central Coast
Stikine
Kitimat - Stikine
Bulkley - Nechako
Skeena - Queen Charlotte
Volunteers are allowed to use the Disaster Response Route when on duty
Under Section 27(1b) of the Emergency Program Act, a person commits an offence who interferes with or obstructs any person in the exercise of any power or the performance of any duty conferred or imposed by this Act or the regulations is liable to imprisonment for a term of not more than one year or to a fine of not more than $10 000 or to both imprisonment and fine.
Civil Liability Exemption under Section 18 of the Emergency Program Act
WorkSafeBC coverage
The BC government maintains a comprehensive general liability insurance policy with a limit of $2 million covering all provincial volunteers
Good Samaritan Act applies to all volunteers(unless grossly negligent)
Trainings from the Provincial, Regional & Municipal Governments
Special awards night every year
Only persons over the age of 16 may sign up to become a volunteer. Persons aged 16–18 must have parental consent. There is no maximum age limit.