Introduction to Emergency Social Services Presented by: (Your Name) (Your Organization)

Introduction to Emergency Social Services

Presented by: (Your Name)

(Your Organization)

Emergency Social Services

• Overview of ESS

• Roles and responsibilities

• Key ESS Facts

Outline


• Emergency Social Services (ESS) is BC’s province-wide, community based, emergency response program

• ESS are those services required to preserve the well-being of people affected by an emergency or disaster

Overview of ESS

What is Emergency Social Services?


Overview of ESS

ESS is an integral part of Emergency Management in BC by:

• Helping people to remain independent and self-sufficient

• Helping people to meet their basic needs during a disaster

• Reuniting families separated by disaster

• Providing people with accurate and up-to-date information about the situation at hand

• Helping people to re-establish themselves as quickly as possible after a disaster

What does ESS Do?


Overview of ESS

ESS provides primary services such as:

• food

• lodging

• clothing

• emotional support

• first aid

• child care

• pet care

• public information

• radio communications

ESS may also provide specialized services such as:

• family reunification (registration & inquiry)

What services are provided?


• ESS volunteers and staff

– over 5,000 local volunteers and staff across BC

– ESS Support Organizations

– Provincial Emergency Program regional and provincial staff

• Every local authority in BC should have an ESS team

• The local ESS leader is the ESS Director

• The ESS Director reports to Emergency Program Coordinator

Overview of ESS

Who provides ESS?


Overview of ESS

Local Authority Level


• Citizens of British Columbia who have been displaced from their residence by a disaster or emergency

Overview of ESS

• Travellers stranded as a result of a disaster

• Response workers on assignment during a disaster or emergency

Who receives ESS ?


• ESS may be provided for incidents ranging from a single family house fire to calamities involving mass evacuation

When is ESS provided?

• floods

• urban fires

• earthquakes

• oil spills

• blizzards

• severe weather

• landslides and avalanches

• wildland urban interface fires

Overview of ESS

• Examples of events in BC involving ESS include:


• ESS is typically available for 72 hours immediately following the start of an event

• During these first 72 hours, evacuees should immediately plan their next steps by contacting:

– insurance agents (if relevant)

– family and friends

– local non-profit agencies

• ESS may be extended, in exceptional circumstances, on a case-by-case basis

Overview of ESS

How long is ESS provided for?


• ESS teams assist evacuees at Reception Centres

• ESS teams may also provide:– outreach services for shut-ins– Group Lodging (shelter and food) to evacuees

during a major event– on-site services to response workers and others

• Level 1 ESS volunteers provide on-site services for small scale incidents (1-2 residences)

Overview of ESS

How is ESS provided?


• Identify facilities suitable for use as Reception Centres and for Group Lodging.

• Recruit and train volunteers

• Establish linkages with key local emergency responders and any disaster related non-government organizations

• Reach agreements with local businesses and services organizations

Overview of ESS

What do ESS teams do to prepare?


Who supports ESS teams?

• Local authority

• PEP Regional Staff

• Provincial Emergency Program (PEP)

• ESS Office

• ESS Support Organizations

Roles and Responsibilities


Municipal vs. Provincial

Through the Emergency Program Act (1996):

• Local Authorities are responsible for emergency planning and response, including ESS

• The Provincial Government is responsible for supporting local authorities in this responsibility.



What is the role of Local Authorities?The local authority is responsible for:• Planning and coordination of a local ESS response• Specifically,

– “A local authority must, as part of the local emergency plan prepared by it under section 6 (2) of the Act.

Section 2 (3) (f) of the Local Authority

Emergency Management Regulation (1995)– “Coordinate the provision of food, clothing, shelter,

transportation and medical services to victims of emergencies and disasters, whether that provision is made from within or outside of the local authority.”



What is the role of PEP?

• Leadership and overall coordination of BC’s emergency management system

• Providing a task number and expenditures authority in an emergency (1-800-663-3456)

• Provides public information about on-going disasters, emergency preparedness and preventive measures

• Providing WCB and liability coverage for ESS volunteers


The Provincial Emergency Program (PEP) is responsible for:



• Funding the ESS training program;• Developing provincial policies and procedures;

…continued on next slide

The Provincial Emergency Program’s ESS Office provides provincial level support for local authorities who are responsible for planning, and responding to, emergencies and disaster where short-term emergency social services are required.

What is the role of the ESS Office?

The ESS Office works alongside other provincial ministries and non-government organizations, to coordinate provincial level resources in support of the delivery of ESS across British Columbia by local authorities.

PEP Headquarters and the ESS Office support local authorities by:



• Providing a framework, including guidelines, standards and best practices, for use by local authorities and the ESS training program;

• Develop and maintain relationships with ESS Support Organizations; • The processing of invoices for lodging, food, clothing and other

necessary expenses administered by community ESS teams during an emergency;

• Providing provincial support during a major disaster; and• Negotiating federal and provincial ESS mutual aid in the event of a

catastrophic disaster.

Continued:

What is the role of the ESS Office?


What is the role of Support Organizations?


The ESS Office can also arrange additional volunteer support and services from the following ESS Support Organizations:

•ESS Association - community volunteer support•Justice Institute of BC – ESS volunteer training courses

•The Salvation Army - emotional support and meet & greet services

•Canadian Disaster Child Care – care and assistance of children affected by disaster

•BC Housing - warehousing and distribution of cots and blankets for Group Lodging

•Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation Canada - mass feeding operations

•Canadian Red Cross - Family Reunification Services, operation of the Central Registration & Inquiry Bureau (CRIB)


Historical Responses

Key ESS Facts

Number of Year Persons Assisted2007 4,1002006 6,8582005 5,0632004 2,5632003 40,0352002 3,6182001 2,4342000 1,582


Total Persons Assisted: 93,874– forest fire related 53,810– other (e.g. house fires, apartment fires,

power outage, landslides, gas leaks, blizzards, etc) 40,064

Total number of incidents involving ESS: 3,833– forest fire related 43

– other (e.g. house fires, apartment fires, 3,790 power outages, floods, landslides

gas leaks, blizzards, etc)

Key ESS Facts

ESS Responses in BC 1994 - 2007


Conclusion

The success of ESS depends on the ongoing commitment of volunteers and other key stakeholders, and on the support of local, regional and provincial governments.

Introduction to Emergency Social Services Presented by: (Your Name) (Your Organization)

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