Emergency Social Services Meet & Greet

By Brandie Majeau
On January 31, Thorhild County FCSS organized a Meet & Greet session for Emergency
Social Services (ESS). ESS is a short-term service that provides basic care and resources to
individuals displaced during an emergency situation. Resource centers register evacuees and
offer necessities such as food, clothing, medical care, and support. The purpose of this meeting
was to encourage residents to join a team of volunteers who are willing to assist in emergency
situations. Existing volunteers were also welcomed to refresh their skills and readiness as well
as create a community of experienced individuals. Some volunteers at the event had
experience going back fifteen years, reminiscing about handing out sandwiches and assisting
with previous emergency social services.
The Emergency Social Services meet and greet was an initiative that started years ago
but was put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The rewriting of plans is now underway.
Additionally, the Emergency Social Services is looking for new volunteers. Given the drought
conditions experienced this winter, there is a high likelihood of a need for ESS this spring.
Although Thorhild is not a provincial resource for evacuation centers due to the lack of
extended resources, there is a possibility that municipalities may require additional resources in
the event of a need for a resource center due to extenuating circumstances.
Thorhild County Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) has established a
framework for training and orienting the volunteers who are currently enrolled. The county is
responsible for ensuring the well-being of both volunteers and recipients, in the event that it is
necessary to create and implement Emergency Social Services (ESS). To prepare for this,
training for ESS is being organized for the volunteers. Upcoming training sessions will include
Basic Emergency Management and registration and inquiry sessions for the Reception and
Referral Centre Program (RRCP) and Municipal Affairs Emergency Management Alberta
Emergency Response (MAER). As the province remains cautious and prepares for an uncertain
spring, Thorhild County is also hoping that there will be no need to activate ESS. However, they
understand the importance of being prepared in case of an emergency.