There's a call for volunteers to join the local emergency support services (ESS) group.
Known as Houston Emergency Support Services, the group comes under the wing of the District of Houston's protective services section and is called out when help and assistance is needed by people affected by a disaster or other event that has temporarily displaced them.
Training is available for emergency scene response, evacuee registration and referrals, reception centre operations, group lodging operations and mental health and psychological first aid.
Through the District's protective services section, Houston ESS is overseen by Jim Daigneault, the District's fire chief and protective services director.
Ideally an ESS core of at least 10 people would ensure help and assistance can be provided during a local event, he said.
Volunteers for emergency support services meet monthly for about two hours and should be available for specific training and be in a position to respond if ever needed.
Emergency support volunteers could undertake a number of duties depending upon the situation.
They could include coordinating food, clothing, and lodging, transportation, pet care, family reunification, providing information, identifying reception centre locations and lodging.
Emergency support services groups established by local governments across the province are one of six volunteer functions under the umbrella of public safety within the provincial emergency management program.
The other five are ground search and rescue, marine search and rescue, air search and rescue, road rescue and emergency radio communications.
And while Houston ESS is looking for more people, there's a plan to bring together ESS groups as a network for mutual support when and where needed.
"We are working on setting up a regional ESS group, working with Smithers, Telkwa, Granisle and Houston," said Daigneault.
"This is no completed yet but we are working it," he added.
The idea is that ESS groups in smaller communities can be bolstered by other ESS groups depending upon the scale or length of a disaster or event affecting people.
There’s no application deadline to join Houston Emergency Support Services and Daigneault said interested people can email ess@houston.ca for more information.
