Support Your Community - Become a Public Safety Lifeline Volunteer

 

(Campbell River, BC) –The Strathcona Regional District (SRD) operates regional Public Safety Lifeline Volunteer (PSLV) teams throughout the district. Volunteers play an important role in helping individuals and families meet their basic needs when displaced by an emergency or disaster. Specifically, Emergency Support Services (ESS) volunteers can provide short-term assistance with essential needs such as food, lodging, clothing, and other immediate necessities. Support is traditionally provided through paper referral vouchers with local merchants. Through the Evacuee Registration and Assistance (ERA) tool, evacuees can also register digitally and receive financial assistance through e-transfer.

 

Residents interested in supporting their communities during emergencies are encouraged to consider joining a volunteer team. Volunteer opportunities are available in Campbell River, Quadra Island, Cortes Island, Gold River, the Outer Discovery Islands, Sayward, Tahsis, and Zeballos.

 

There are several ways to get involved:

 

Emergency Support Services (ESS) Mass Care Team Member - staff group lodging facilities and reception centres, register evacuees, and coordinate short-term relief during the first 72 hours following an emergency or disaster.

 

Emergency Support Services (ESS) Level One Team Member - respond to small-scale, urgent emergencies such as single-family house fires and deploy on short notice to provide immediate, on-site assistance and basic needs support. All Level One volunteers also train as Mass Care Team members.

 

Pet Care Team Member - support the emotional and physical well-being of individuals and their companion animals. Duties may include setting up temporary animal intake shelters, caring for animals, and helping reunite companion animals with their guardians.

 

Emotional Support Team Member - provide a listening ear and offer short-term psychological first aid, comfort, and crisis support to people experiencing an emergency.

 

Emergency Communications Team Member - help maintain reliable communications when normal systems are unavailable, overloaded, or disrupted. Volunteers may operate radios at reception centres, group lodging facilities, emergency operations locations, or other response sites to support communication between responders and support teams.

 

Volunteers are expected to:

•     Be 18 years of age or older. Youth ages 16–17 may participate with parental consent.

•     Attend monthly training sessions, approximately two hours per month, with a break during the summer.

•     Participate in additional training courses and exercises.

•     Be in good health and able to perform duties that may require mobility and endurance.

•     Have independent transportation and a valid driver's licence.

•     Pass and maintain a Police Records Check.

•     Have a good command of the English language, including comprehension, speaking, and writing.

•     Be dependable, reliable, and flexible with their availability.

•     Be able to work under pressure and interact compassionately with people experiencing high levels of stress.

 

Please Note: The PSLV program is a trained volunteer response program. Individuals must complete the required training before responding to an emergency or disaster. This ensures volunteers are prepared to provide safe, effective, and compassionate support when their communities need it most.

 

Emergencies can happen anywhere, at any time. Volunteers play a vital role in helping individuals and families navigate some of life's most challenging moments by providing practical assistance, compassion, and a sense of stability.

 

Residents interested in making a meaningful difference and becoming part of the heart of emergency response are encouraged to get involved.

 

For more information about the Strathcona Regional District’s Emergency Programs, Services and Support or to complete an online volunteer recruitment form, visit srd.ca/emergency-program/services-support or contact the SRD Emergency Services Program at 250-830-6702 or preparedness@srd.ca 

 

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Bonnie Logan, SRD Emergency Program Specialist  250-830-6702 | preparedness@srd.ca