Emergency Social Services (ESS) provides short-term assistance to British Columbians who are forced to leave their homes because of fire, floods, earthquakes or other emergencies. Contrary to our name, we are not related to Social Services. Our volunteers are here to help our community in times of disasters by offering assistance which includes food, lodging, clothing, emotional support and family reunification for the first 72 hours after an emergency has occured. If further help is required for a longer period of time, other services will step in to help.

In British Columbia (BC), local authorities are responsible for planning and operating emergency responses within their jurisdictional areas, including Emergency Social Services (ESS).

We are the ESS volunteer organization in the Regional District of the Central Okanagan. Our members are divided into a variety of groups covering local areas with RDCO:

• Kelowna volunteers are called out for emergencies occuring within the boundaries of the City of Kelowna. This group meets on the third Thursday of every month at the Kelowna Fire Department hall at 7:00pm.

• West Kelowna volunteers are called on during emergencies occuring in West Kelowna. The West Kelowna team is now up and running and offering monthly meetings to their volunteers.

• Peachland has a local team of volunteers and are currently meeting together with the team from West Kelowna.

• North Westside has been established for quite some time and volunteers from that area meet in Killiney Beach. They look after all surrounding rural areas affected by any type of disaster which involves the ESS team.

• Lake Country volunteers are called out for emergencies occuring within the District of Lake Country, which includes Winfield, Oyama and surrounding areas.

• As part of our organization, CDART (the Canadian Disaster Animal Response Team) looks after all animals affected by any disaster which involves ESS.