FILE PHOTO - The Bush Creek East wildfire got close to a residential house in the Shuswap on August 18, 2023.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/Angie Laryea
January 04, 2024 - 10:40 AM
The BC government has launched a survey to hear from people about the resources available to individuals who are forced to evacuate their homes during disasters.
As wildfire and flood occurrences and intensity increase because of climate change, the province is looking to review its approach to supporting communities through emergencies, according to a Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness media release issued,Jan. 9. This involves updating the Emergency Support Services program to better meet people's needs.
“During the 2023 wildfire season, thousands of people were asked to evacuate their homes on short notice and the province was there to support them,” Minister of Environment George Heyman said in the release.
“Times like last summer are challenging, uncertain and emotional for people, communities and businesses, and we learned a lot about how we can better support people in the future from experience and conversations that are ongoing."
The survey, available until 4 p.m., Feb. 9, will collect feedback from evacuees, frontline workers, volunteers, families and businesses about how the Emergency Support Services Program could be improved. The program, funded by the province, is administered through First Nations and local governments and offers short-term resources to people affected by disasters such as shelter, food, transportation, clothing and incidentals.
Coupled with information obtained from community engagement, the survey will allow the Premier's expert task force on emergencies to efficiently update the program prior to the expected 2024 wildfire season.
“During the recent wildfire season, the City of Prince George once again assisted evacuees from neighbouring communities. Our team knows first-hand the importance of ensuring that Emergency Support Services is easily accessible and tailored to individuals’ needs,” Tanya Spooner with the City of Prince George said in the release.
“As part of the task force’s efforts and through this public survey, we aim to gather valuable feedback from people to identify ways in which the province can further enhance ESS.”
The emergency task force has been meeting since October of 2023 to identify where the program can effectively be changed.
In collaborating with the Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness and the Ministry of Forests, the task force will work to put in place concrete actions in hopes of making a difference for people who will need help during the 2024 wildfire season.
So far, the task force met with First Nations, local governments, Emergency Support Services responders, evacuees and industry stakeholders through 20 engagement sessions that have helped identify where the program can be improved and how to better support people through the Evacuee Registration and Assistance tool.
“Last summer, thousands of Shuswap residents were forced to evacuate their homes and our ESS team helped families meet their basic needs of food, clothing and shelter,” Cathy Semchuk with the Columbia Shuswap Regional District said in the release.
“Our ESS team appreciated the opportunity to participate in the recent engagement sessions, where we had the opportunity to share our experiences, success stories and ideas for improvements. Whether you are a volunteer, an evacuee or a supplier, please complete this survey to help improve ESS.”
The hope is that improvements made also reflect learnings from the 2023 wildfire season and act on recommendations from the ombudsperson's report Fairness in a Changing Climate.
All those who have been affected by disasters and were involved in one way or another with the Emergency Support Services are asked to partake in the survey here.
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