The Strathcona Regional District wants volunteers for its various Public Safety Lifeline programs.
The regional district is recruiting volunteers to help with emergency support services, emergency radio communications and the district’s animal response team programs.
“Volunteers have various skills and resources that can be offered during a disaster and when planned for, can make an invaluable impact by increasing response capacity.” said Shaun Koopman, SRD’s Protective Services Coordinator.
Emergency Support volunteers are the “heart of emergency response” and are there to help people displaced by natural disasters, climate change and other emergencies for the first 72 hours. They make up part of the provincial Emergency Support program, and are sponsored and coordinated by the Regional District. There are teams in Campbell River, Quadra Island, Cortes Island, Gold River, Sayward, Tahsis and Zeballos. Jobs include things like providing food, clothing and lodging, reception centres, keeping people informed and family reunification.
Emergency Radio Communications volunteers operate the communications system in the event of an emergency. According to the SRD website, “The ECT serves as a ‘Plan B’ option when primary communications systems are challenged or disabled. The ECT will be activated as a backup system when ‘regular’ systems, such as the telephone network and email are not functioning.”
The animal response team volunteers are deployed by the Canadian Disaster Animal Response Team (CDART) to provide disaster relief services to domesticated animals. These services include operating temporary animal relief shelters, transportation, care of animals at the shelters, coordination of veterinary care and rescue of abandoned or stranded animals.
“For those interested in pursuing a career in a field of emergency response such as armed forces, RCMP, fire or health, the skills learned in these volunteer programs provide valuable professional development and mentorship,” Koopman said.
The SRD will be holding virtual meetings between March 8 and March 11 for the various teams, those interested can join the Zoom meetings
Volunteer Meeting Schedule:
- Emergency Support Services: March 8, 3-4 p.m. https://zoom.us/j/97372537211
- Emergency Support Services: March 8, 7-8 p.m. https://zoom.us/j/95751387428
- Emergency Support Services: March 9, 7-8 p.m. https://zoom.us/j/96530123327
- Emergency Radio Communications: March 10, 7-8 p.m. https://zoom.us/j/92882303257
- Animal Response Team: March 11, 7-8 p.m. https://zoom.us/j/96268926356
More information can be found online at https://srd.ca/public-safety-lifeline-volunteer-recruitment/
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