Spring 2012 Newsletter

Call for Submissions

This is an appeal for content for our final editions of mESSAges to be
distributed in June 2012. We would like to feature BC’s amazing ESS Teams in
the newsletter.

Please send us photos of your teams, ideally holding signs indicating your
team name/where you are from. See the example submitted by the Fort St
James ESS team.

Full article can be found on the front page.

Saturday, May 5, 2012

Prince George Civic Centre
808 Civic Plaza
Prince George, BC

ESSA recognizes the wealth of experience and knowledge possessed by British Columbia's ESS practitioners and volunteers. It is hoped that the conference will provide a vehicle to bring together ESS people from across the Province to share their thoughts, ideas and resources.

The conference agenda, registration, session description, and speaker bios are now available online.

Click below. 

Exercise

ESSA is a non-profit association established to support Emergency Social Services (ESS) volunteers and communities in British Columbia in the development and maintenance of their ESS program. ESSA is not an Emergency Response Organization.

ESSA's role is to provide assistance to more than 5,000 community ESS volunteers around the province through a variety of programs. These ESS volunteers are the people who respond when disasters occur and their fellow citizens' lives are disrupted.  When these events occur, community emergency plans kick into action.  Teams of local ESS volunteers are activated to provide victims and evacuees with food, lodging, clothing and emotional support - services that are essential to their emotional and physical well-being - for up to 72 hours.

Recognize

Through our newsletter, the annual ESS Conference and representation at a variety of provincial conferences, ESSA actively promotes recognition of the work of ESS Volunteers around the province.

Train

ESSA contributes to the ongoing education and awareness of ESS volunteers through a variety of free seminars and workshops held annually in all parts of the province. The Association also publishes a quarterly newsletter to share information on new developments, upcoming events, and policy and procedural changes. The website has a learning section which highlights training opportunities.

Respond

ESSA offers direction to its members. The Association is the voice of ESS volunteers around the province and carries their concerns about issues and preparedness to municipal councils and to the provincial government.