In the province of British Columbia, the government has created Public Safety & Emergency Services that rely on volunteers to make them successful. The government (Emergency Management BC) involves them right at the ground level as well as in a number of planning aspects. Here are a few ways that volunteers are integral to earthquake preparedness in BC: Public Safety Lifeline Volunteers.

 

• Search and Rescue. When disasters such as earthquakes strike, teams made up of the approximately 2,500 search and rescue volunteers are dispersed to help search for, access and transport lost and injured persons. In addition, these volunteers are assisted by PEP Air’s 100 aircraft, and 900 pilots, navigators and spotters when needed. They also help support communities that have been affected by distributing information on evacuation procedures and other critical response activities.
• Emergency Social Services. During the event of an earthquake or other disaster, volunteers are depended on to plan and provide services such as finding lodging and food for displaced persons and recruiting other volunteers.
• Emergency Radio Communications. Through the Provincial Emergency Radio Communications Service (PERCS), Emergency Management BC has access to hundreds of volunteers who are ready and willing to assist with communications in the event of an emergency. In this way our province is set up to communicate effectively during an emergency such as an earthquake. That’s why it’s so important to have a radio – such as our FRX3 Weather Alert Flashlight Radio – on hand and ready to go in your emergency kit.

As you can see, committed volunteers—who have taken time out to be a part of planning for emergencies in a bigger way – are absolutely necessary to implement successful safety measures. Can you think of a way that you may want to volunteer? Don’t underestimate the importance of becoming informed and spreading the word on emergency preparedness. Do that and you are already committing yourself to the greater good and safety of your community.

For more information on some of our province’s emergency preparedness plans, feel free to read up on BC’s Volunteer Safety Program.

 

Article contributed by Sophie Wooding – Avid gardener and cyclist in Victoria, BC and Content Writer for Frontier.io