Emergency Support Services

Emergency Support Services (ESS) is a provincial program delivered by Local Authorities and First Nations’ Governments that meets the basic needs of British Columbians impacted by disasters by providing short-term support in a compassionate manner.

Sooke residents who are forced from their homes due to fire, floods, earthquakes or other emergencies may receive emergency support services (ESS) for up to 72 hours. Sooke ESS members are community volunteers who receive training through Emergency Management BC (EMBC) sponsored courses, as well as the Sooke Emergency Program, to assist displaced residents in their time of need. Whether it is one home affected by a fire or flood or an entire neighborhood threatened by a forest fire, ESS volunteers are here to help during those first critical hours of a disaster.

Services are provided through Level One ESS support (when only one or a few families are impacted) or through activation of an Emergency Reception Centre (for larger scale emergencies involving multiple families and/or neighbourhoods). Reception Centre locations will be announced and are dependent on the location and scale of the emergency. Venues may include the Sooke Community Hall and/or Journey Middle School and/or Edward Milne Community School (EMCS).  As part of Sooke’s Emergency Program, this volunteer group is a division of Sooke Fire Rescue Service.

Learn more about what Emergency Support Services can do to help

Join the ESS team

Residents are welcome, and encouraged, to volunteer. Attend a monthly ESS meeting to learn more about getting involved – held on the 4th Tuesday of each month @ 7:00 p.m. in Council Chamber  No meetings in July, August and December.

ESS sub-committees include: Training, Community Engagement, Resource Acquisition (suppliers), Social Media, Pet Care and the Neighbourhood Emergency Preparedness Program (NEPP). Ongoing training (delivered face-to-face and online) is provided at no cost to all members.

Do you own a business in Sooke? Become a Verified Supplier

If you own a business in Sooke, the Resource Acquisition team will sign your business up to be a verified supplier during an emergency. Displaced residents are provided with referral vouchers to local businesses who are reimbursed for the related costs through Emergency Management BC (EMBC). Join the list of verified suppliers who have already signed up to provide food, clothing, shelter, etc. to residents in a time of need.

Contact us to learn more: 250-642-5422 or email: Shauna Davis, ESS Director: essd@sooke.ca 

Emergency Preparedness 

Emergency Preparedness Presentations: provided by the ESS Community Engagement team and are available at no cost to community groups, families, businesses, Stratas, schools, etc. to help build a resilient community.

Neighbourhood Emergency Preparedness Program (NEPP) Presentations are available to a group of at least six neighbours (from the same street, cul-de-sac or apartment, etc.) who are interested in joining forces to form a POD (group) to plan, prepare for, and share resources during emergencies. Prepared neighbourhoods are resilient neighbourhoods. When you’re in it together, you’re stronger.

Download the NEPP Guide

For information on becoming a Volunteer ESS member, or for information on how to be better prepared for an emergency situation, contact the Fire Department at 250 642-5422.