The BC Government is launching a new digital registration system for evacuees as the province prepares for the upcoming wildfire season, while coping with physical distancing restrictions to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
The new platform for Emergency Support Services (ESS) will allow for British Columbian communities to provide evacuee self-registration, digital registration and referrals, and basic reporting, said the Ministry of Public Safety in a press release.
“Moving from an archaic paper-based system to a digital platform will ensure safe and timely access to services for those who need help during some of their hardest moments. During the COVID-19 pandemic, virtual delivery of ESS is more important than ever to ensure safe physical distancing for volunteers and evacuees,” said Mike Farnworth, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General.
Farnworth added that the project has been in the works since the 2017 wildfire season – the most recent time the province announced a public state of emergency, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the BC Government, updating the registration process to a digital platform will help ensure “evacuees have quick access to the supports they need, such as lodging, food and clothing.”
In the year leading up to the online tool’s launch, the government said that it was successfully piloted in four BC communities including Prince George and Kamloops. The province suggests it will work alongside communities in an effort to ensure the adoption process of the new tool goes smoothly as well.
“The new virtual registration system for emergency supports allows us to keep all our ESS volunteers,” said David Trawin, chief administrative officer, City of Kamloops. “The majority of these volunteers are seniors, and more than half said they would not be available if registration was paper-based and face-to-face interaction was required. It would have crippled us if we needed evacuations for floods and fire.”
The BC Government also suggested that upgrades are scheduled in the future, such as the ability for direct payment to evacuees and suppliers.
With residents of British Columbia continuing to practice social distancing measures, the government feels that the tool’s arrival will be a welcomed addition amid the current pandemic landscape.
The Ministry of Public Safety added that the digital registration system will allow volunteers to concentrate on the needs of the most vulnerable people during an evacuation, while enabling safe physical distancing measures to protect both volunteers and evacuees.
The Province also claimed that approximately 30,000 people use ESS every year.
Another digital tool is being introduced for this wildfire season as the BC Wildfire Service has launched a new mobile app to offer real-time information and fire statistics for the public and media.
Graham Cox
