You hope you will never need to meet them when they’re on the job, but if you do, you’ll really appreciate that they’re there for you.
The Shuswap Emergency Program (SEP) involves over 150 dedicated personnel which includes local government staff, retired professionals and trained volunteers located across the Columbia Shuswap Regional District (CSRD). Started in 1999 and administered by the CSRD, SEP’s mandate is to plan, prepare and respond to the impacts of emergencies as they affect our community.
SEP personnel are trained and prepared to assist in a number of ways in a wide variety of emergencies such as fires, floods, earthquakes, accidents or epidemics. Their response to emergencies is determined through the British Columbia Emergency Management Systems (BCERMS) which in turn, utilizes the Incident Command System, a standardized emergency response system used throughout the province. Services provided by the SEP are intended to supplement those provided by other emergency organizations such as the RCMP, Fire Department or BC Ambulance Services. The overall goal is to ensure that a coordinated, organized and effective response is delivered to all emergency incidents and disasters.
In 2012 when the high waters of the Shuswap freshet enveloped several surrounding communities, SEP volunteers were there. They helped to provide shelter, clothing, food, water, emotional support, location of loved ones, and a variety of other services to those affected. Despite having suffered terrible personal losses, there were many warm compliments given by people displaced by the flood waters to the personnel of the SEP.
SEP volunteers participate in courses conducted year round on topics such as disaster preparedness, situational leadership, crisis communications, team organization, and emergency evacuation as well as seminars on the basic principles of the Incident Command System and the Emergency Operations Centre.
Fortunately, as major emergencies are few and far between, an important ongoing aspect of SEP activities involves education and assisting communities to develop their own emergency plans through programs such as the Neighbourhood Emergency Preparedness Program, or NEPP.
This program assists neighbourhoods to identify local skills and resources that will enable their community to cope more effectively during a disaster as well as to recover more quickly afterwards.
If you are interested in learning more or about establishing a Neighbourhood Emergency Preparedness Program in your area, please contact SEP at 250-833-5927, or email sep@csrd.bc.ca.
Another critically important service provided by SEP is Emergency Social Services. ESS depends on community volunteers to plan and provide for the essential needs of individuals, families and response workers, not only for large disasters, but also for smaller localized incidents. More volunteers are always needed.
Please contact the SEP office if you wish to help people affected by a disaster. The SEP is looking for people who have solid communication skills, good health, flexibility, ability to work with a team, and can respond on short notice. Volunteers at the SEP find that this experience enables them to help others while also challenging them to gain new skills and insights. If you would like to suggest topics for future articles, or participate in our community advisory panel surveys, please contact me at pdemenok@csrd.bc.ca.
-Paul Demenok is the Area C Director for the CSRD.
