|
Emergency Social Services
(ESS)
ESS Director:
Sonja Ruthe, at
The Oak Bay Community ESS Team meets on the 4th Tuesday of every
month (except July, August and December), from 7:00pm to 9:00pm at various locations
within the community. The focus of the meetings are ESS training, orientation
and exercises. ALL WELCOME!
Upcoming ESS Events
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ESS Training:
ESS Regional Training is free and open to all ESS team members.
The pre-requisite for all ESS training is the “Intro to Emergency Social Services (ESS)” self-study course.
For information on ESS Training or to register for ESS Regional courses, contact Liane Beattie,
the Oak Bay ESS Training Coordinator at 250-298-1224 or
Volunteering with ESS:
For information on volunteering with ESS or the Oak Bay Emergency Program,
please contact Sonja Ruthe, ESS Director at
or 250-514-5249. ESS Information/New Volunteer Orientation Sessions are offered regularly: Come learn more
about Emergency Social Services (ESS) and the Oak Bay Emergency Program (OBEP)
What is Emergency Social Services?
Emergency Social Services (or ESS) is a community-based provincial emergency response
program. ESS are those services (such as food, clothing and shelter) required to
preserve the well-being of people affected by an emergency or disaster–ranging from
single house fire or calamities involving mass evacuations.
ESS in BC
The goal of the ESS Program is to help people to re-establish themselves
as quickly as possible after a disaster. The Program plays an important role in
emergency management in BC by:
- Helping people to remain independent and self-sufficient;
- Helping people to meet their basic survival needs during a disaster;
- Reuniting families separated by disaster;
- Providing people with accurate and up-to-date information about the situation
at hand;
- Helping a community work through the recovery process.
What services are provided by ESS?
ESS provides temporary relief to individuals and families so they can begin to plan
their next steps after a disaster. ESS provides primary services such as:
- food;
- shelter;
- clothing;and
- family reunification
ESS may also provide specialized services such as:
- personal services;
- volunteer services;
- public information;
- first aid;
- child care;
- pet care; and
- transportation services
Who provides ESS?
In BC, local authorities are responsible for planning and operating ESS as part
of their overall emergency plan. Every municipality in BC has (or should have) an
ESS Team. Approximately 5,000 volunteers donate their time and energy as part of
ESS Teams located in communities throughout BC. ESS partner agencies (see below)
and Ministry of Human Resources (MHR) staff also have important roles in providing
ESS.
How is ESS provided?
ESS Teams assist evacuees, usually at evacuation centres. Evacuation centres may be
located at the local community or recreation centre, church, or school. In some
communities ESS Teams also provide services in other settings, such as outreach
to those unable to leave their homes, or on-site services to response workers.
How long is ESS provided for?
ESS is available for 72 hours. During these first 72 hours, evacuees should immediately
plan their next steps by contacting their insurance agents, families and friends,
or accessing other possible resources. ESS may be extended in exceptional circumstances
only.
What do ESS Teams do to Prepare?
The major tasks of ESS Teams are the following:
- recruiting and training volunteer response teams;
- identifying facilities suitable for use as reception centres;
- establishing linkages with key local emergency responders and non-government disaster
agencies;
- establishing agreements with local businesses and service organizations to supply
goods and services during emergencies.
How to become an ESS Volunteer?
The local authority or municipality is responsible for developing a plan
for provision of ESS in the event of a disaster. To offer services as an ESS volunteer,
contact Sonja Ruthe, Oak Bay ESS Director at
or 250-514-5249.
What is an Evacuation Centre?
An Evacuation Centre is the location designated by the local ESS Team, in cooperation
with the local authority, as a safe gathering place for people displaced from their
homes as a result of an emergency or disaster. At an Evacuation Centre, individuals
may register and receive Emergency Services (food, clothing, and/or lodging),
as well as information about the emergency situation. There are several designated
Evacuation Centres within the community of Oak Bay that would become activated in
the event of a crisis or emergency.
What is Group Lodging?
A Group Lodging facility is the location designated by the local ESS Team, in cooperation
with the local authority, which provides dormitory style accommodation for people
displaced from their homes as a result of an emergency or disaster. These services
are usually performed in local community centres, school gymnasiums and arenas.
At a Group Lodging facility individuals will be provided with a sleeping space,
meals as well as information about the emergency situation. There are several sites
within the community of Oak Bay that have been designated as potential Group Lodging
facilities in the event of a crisis or emergency.
Who are the ESS Support Organizations?
- Adventist Development Relief Agency (ADRA)
- BC Housing Management Commission (BCHMC)
- BC Telephone Pioneers Amateur Radio Club (TPARC)
- Canadian Red Cross Society (CRCS)
- Canadian Disaster Animal Response Team (CDART)
- Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC)
- Emergency Social Services Association (ESSA)
- Justice Institute of BC (JIBC)
- Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS)
- St. John Ambulance (SJA)
- The Salvation Army (SA)
|