The City of Kamloops is looking for more volunteers to join its Emergency Support Services team.

Community and Emergency Support Supervisor Natasha Hartson says there are 129 active volunteers in Kamloops who help connect people to short-term supports like food, lodging, and clothes if they are forced to evacuate due to house fires, wildfires, floods, or earthquakes.

“We are constantly recruiting, there is a process to be involved, there is training etc., so there is nothing in particular that is triggering it,” Hartson told Radio NL.

“It is just the perfect time of the year to get prepared.”

Speaking on NL Newsday, Hartson said there isn’t an ideal number of volunteers the City is hoping to have on staff. But she noted that the more the merrier, as it will allow volunteers to get some time off so they don’t burn out.

“With summer holidays, larger-scale events, longer events we are always looking to expand to ensure we can support evacuees the way best possible and be able to give volunteers time off and not burn people out,” Hartson said.

Hartson says ESS volunteers in Kamloops were kept busy last season, noting they tallied over 12,000 volunteer hours, an average of over 100 hours per volunteer.

“We do have varying levels of dedication, so we have hardcore volunteers who are there everyday for 12 hours a day, which I’m trying to get them to go home,” Hartson said. “Then we have some volunteers who have done 10 or 15 hours in a year. It really is dependent on your availability and your willingness to be a volunteer.”

“But last year for example, the August wildfire season, we had our reception centre open for five weeks straight. That is a significant number of hours to have volunteers on site, so the more people that we have to help that, helps give everybody that break.”

Hartson says people who sign up as volunteers will need to undergo training so they are able to best support evacuees.

“Training helps prepare the volunteers to understand what to expect and gives them the tools they need to be able to best support the evacuees,” Hartson said.

While not mandatory, there are two volunteer orientation sessions scheduled for later this month – Feb. 21 between 6:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. at the Kia Lounge at Sandman Centre and Feb. 24 between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. at the McArthur Island Sports Centre Lounge.

“The orientation sessions will provide attendees with a basic understanding of the role of Emergency Support Services, the different functions within the reception centre, and the steps required to become a volunteer,” Hartson added.

“Attendees will have an opportunity to meet volunteer team members, ask questions, and decide if joining the team is right for them.”

All prospective volunteers who hope to join the ESS Team will need to be:

• comfortable working on computers
• comfortable speaking directly with evacuees over the phone
• able to complete the necessary ESS training
• able to obtain a Police Information and Vulnerable Sector Check

If you are interested in becoming an ESS volunteer, go here complete the application form.