West Kelowna welcomes improved provincial evacuation services

Last year, about 10,000 people were forced to flee West Kelowna during the McDougall Creek fire. The province’s disaster relief program, largely run by volunteers, has faced criticism and the province has since stepped up its support.

The government of British Columbia has made some changes in recent months to improve assistance to victims in the event of evacuations during forest fires.

In early June, Emergency Management and Climate Change Preparedness Minister Bowinn Ma announced that $200 per night of financial assistance would be available online for evacuees. She noted, however, that it was still possible for evacuees to apply for assistance at a shelter, but that this option would allow them to to make their own accommodation decisions.

These decisions make me happy, and reassure me that this will not happen again in the same waycomments West Kelowna city councillor Rick de Jong.

This means they don’t have to come here and wait in line to try to get money. They can then spend that money on what they need and what is most important to them.he stressed.

Rick de Jong was a volunteer with the Salvation Army last August and says he saw some chaotic scenes while registering people at reception centres.

We had some issues with laptops, getting the new systems the province was trying to implement up and running, and the speed of their implementation.he explains, adding that some residents took three to five days to register for emergency services.

Better train volunteers

Last March, the ministry also decided to offer a one-day training course to respondents of the Disaster Assistance Program (ESS –Emergency Support Services).

This program is run by local governments and First Nations. Most of the workers are volunteers and it can be difficult for them to navigate the system.

Last year, many of our responders were themselves under evacuation orders.explained Jason Bedell, manager of the Disaster Assistance Service for the regional district of Central Okanagan. While he says he is reassured to see that the province has listened to him, he remains vigilant, It’s a 99% volunteer-run program. So locally, I want to start looking at whether we should have more municipal staff attached to this program and that’s part of what’s left to do.he admitted.

Waiting for the 2023 report

Councilor Rick de Jong says he is waiting to be able to consult a report requested by his municipality following the evacuations during the McDougall Creek fire last August bringing together the various emergency services.

I wonder if we can do more. And that is why I would like to see the recommendations that have come out of this report.he insisted.

Last year’s unprecedented fires forced many departments and governments at all levels to better prepare for this type of extreme event.

Many changes have not yet been tested in real life.says Jason Bedell, So I’m confident, but we’ll have to see how it goes this year..

With information from Tom Popyk.