The Merritt and Nicola Valley Emergency Support Services (ESS) team is currently recruiting new volunteers! Merritt and Nicola Valley ESS volunteers provide short-term support to people displaced from their homes as a result of an emergency or disaster. ESS volunteers conduct extremely meaningful work and are highly valued by both the City of Merritt and by the people whom they assist.
Emergency Support Services
ESS volunteers facilitate the provisioning of food, clothing, transportation, and shelter to individuals and families who are displaced as a result of an emergency. ESS volunteers typically do not provide these services themselves, but rather refer displaced persons to local businesses, such as hotels, grocery stores, and restaurants, so that they may receive assistance. The provincial government then compensates businesses for the services they provide. Under some circumstances, ESS may also provide group lodging support to displaced persons.
ESS is activated in response to a wide variety of emergencies ranging from small housefires to major flooding events and is intended to operate for no longer than 72 hours.
ESS programs are maintained by numerous Indigenous governing bodies and local authorities throughout BC. While ESS programs are typically managed at the local level, they are supported by the Province of BC and are one of BC’s Public Safety Lifeline Volunteers (PSLV) programs.
ESS volunteers conduct regular training and are expected to complete a number of ESS courses offered at no cost by the Justice Institute of British Columbia (JIBC). Most JIBC courses are self-paced and offered online. Additionally, while ESS is very accommodating of its volunteers’ availabilities, volunteers should be available to respond to most ESS activations.
The Merritt and Nicola Valley ESS team is a key component of the City of Merritt’s overall emergency program. The team is managed by a Director (ESSD) and Deputy Director (ESSDD) and has over a dozen volunteer members.
View Merritt & Nicola Valley Emergency Support Services Plan
Volunteer Responsibilities
MAY INCLUDE:
- Coordinating the provisioning of the following items to displaced persons:
– Food
– Clothing
– Lodging
– Emotional support
– Pet care
– Transportation - Supporting post-disaster family reunification
- Taking part in regular meetings and training sessions
- Completing JIBC courses both online and in-person
- Travelling and supporting communities outside of Merritt
Join the Merritt ESS Team!
Monthly Meeting + Training Session
The Merritt and Nicola Valley ESS team meets in Room 4 of the Merritt Civic Centre at 7:00 pm on the third Tuesday of the month from September to June.
ESS Volunteer Requirements:
- Be 16 years of age or older
- Have a valid BC’s driver’s license and have reliable access to personal transportation
- Be willing and able to respond to ESS callouts made late at night or made on weekends and holidays
- Be willing and able to take part in online and in-person training conducted by JIBC
- Be willing and able to reliably attend ESS meetings
- Pass a criminal record check including a vulnerable sector check
- Provide two job references
How to Apply
Please fill out the following application form and return it to Merritt City Hall located at 2185 Voght St, Merritt, BC V1K 1B8 or send the completed form to ess@merritt.ca.
ESS for Suppliers
The City of Merritt recognizes the important support that ESS suppliers such hotels, grocery stores, and restaurants provide to the ESS program. It is imperative that ESS suppliers be compensated in a timely manner for the goods and services that they provide to displaced persons.
The best way for ESS suppliers to be reimbursed for goods and services they provide to displaced persons is to submit receipts, invoices, and ESS referral forms through the online Evacuee Registration & Assistance (ERA) tool. The ERA supplier invoice and receipt submission tool may be found here.
Additionally, the Province of BC has published a guide for ESS suppliers that overviews the procedures and policies that are relevant to the reimbursement process. The guide may be found here. Suppliers may also contact essfinanceinquiries@gov.bc.ca for additional information regarding the reimbursement process.
To express interest in supporting the ESS program as a supplier or to submit a query regarding ESS supplier reimbursement as it relates to Merritt, please contact the City of Merritt’s Emergency Management Coordinator at adam.hart@merritt.ca.
Contact Information
For more information regarding the Merritt and Nicola Valley ESS team, contact ESS@MERRITT.CA.
