EMERGENCY SOCIAL SERVICES (ESS) TRAINING PROGRAM

The ESS Training Program offers a variety of courses to ESS volunteers and others. Courses are summarized below with more detailed information available in the ESS Training Brochure including course descriptions, registration process; and whether a course fee applies.

For a course near you, please refer to the ESS Annual Training Schedule for training sponsored by the Provincial Emergency Program for the period of April 1, 2009 to June 30, 2009.

If you would like to participate in ESS training that is being held in a neighboring community, please consult with your local ESSD, as they should be able to provide you with more information through their contact with the host community or through the Regional ESS/Recovery Coordinator at the PEP regional office.

Training of ESS Volunteers

Courses offered by:

• Justice Institute of BC
• The Canadian Red Cross
• The Salvation Army
• St John Ambulance
• BC Housing
• Canadian Disaster Child Care
• Emergency Social Services Association

ESS courses offered by the Justice Institute

• Introduction to Emergency Social Services:
  
  • Distance training package
    
  • On-line Introduction to ESS

• Reception Centre Course
  
• Registration and Referrals
  
• Documentation Unit
  
• Managing Walk-In Disaster Volunteers
  
• Group Lodging Course
  
• ESS Resource Acquisition: Food, Clothing & Lodging
  
• Leadership
  
• ESS Directors Course
  

Other ESS supplements to training:

• ESS in a BCERMS Environment
• Referrals Unit On-Line
• Level One ESS - Online
• Level One ESS Supervisors Guidelines

In addition to the ESS Training Program described above, ESS volunteers and staff may be able to access other courses offered through the Emergency Management Division (EMD).

The EMD also offers an Emergency Management Certificate Program which was developed to train emergency professionals. It provides the learner with the up-to-date technical and theoretical training required to fulfill the increasing demands of emergency management.

LINK: www.jibc.ca/emergency/programs/EM_Certificate/

For more specific information about any of the above noted courses or the Justice Institute Emergency Management Division please visit the link below.

LINK: www.jibc.ca/emergency/index.htm

Courses offered by the Canadian Red Cross

• Inquiry, Search and Reply
  
• Family Reunification Workshop for Supervisors
  

Courses offered by The Salvation Army

• Meet and Greet (formerly Personal Services Level I)
• Emotional Support (formerly Personal Services Level II)

Courses offered by St John Ambulance

• Head Start CPR - Level "C"
• Standard First Aid - Enhanced
• Emergency First Aid - Safety Oriented (WCB OFA Level 1 Equivalent)

LINK: www.sja.ca/bc/

Courses offered by BC Housing

• Neighbourhood Rapid Damage Assessment

LINK: www.bchousing.org/aboutus/ESS

Courses offered by Canadian Disaster Child Care

• Canadian Disaster Child Care - 62KB

LINK: members.shaw.ca/disasterchildcare/

Seminars offered by Emergency Social Services Association

ESSA offers seminars annually to ESS teams in each PEP region of the province. A complete calendar of topics, possible seminars and presenters can be requested by contacting ESSA at 604-517-1442, toll-free 1-800-910-ESSA or on their website at www.essa.ca.

ESSA also sponsors a number of "lessons learned" presentations featuring a variety of speakers sharing their first-hand experiences in actual disasters with ESS teams, other emergency services workers and the general public.

Page Updated: 2009 April 6