Salt Spring’s emergency POD program growing, but more work to be done
As the boxes of hefty three-inch binders next to Elizabeth Zook’s desk at the island’s Emergency Operations Centre continues to pile up, it’s becoming increasingly evident the years of work to promote the island’s emergency POD program are paying off.
Each binder, explains the island’s emergency coordinator, is filled with detailed information for leaders in each of the island’s active POD areas, including maps that indicate muster points and evacuation routes, phone lists, basic first-aid information and leadership resources. When there’s a major emergency, it’s this information that will be the basis for the response strategy in each POD.
The wide nature of any response that might be called for only adds to the complexity of Zook’s responsibility to manage the island’s 52 POD areas. During the winter, for example, heavy snow has the potential to block access to entire neighbourhoods for days, whereas a forest fire during the drier months shifts the focus to the need for rapid evacuation.
Whatever the disaster, the importance of communications between neighbours is paramount, and that’s where a well-organized neighbourhood POD can really pay off.
“It’s about emergency communication both during and after a disaster,” Zook said in an interview at the island’s EOC. “The idea of the POD program is to develop synergy with your neighbours so you’re not alone out there. At the end of the day, it’s about neighbours helping neighbours.
“All of our emergency responders are very helpful, but they can only do so much.”
POD operations are also important to consider before disaster strikes as groups can assist residents to get personally prepared, and provide emergency workshops and exercises. Something Zook looks forward to at some point is to make more first-aid training available to POD program participants, for example.
Under Zook’s watch, the number of active island PODs has risen dramatically from 11 to 37 since 2010. She said the powerful and unsettling images of disasters like the March 2011 Japanese earthquake and tsunami as well as forest fires in Slave Lake, Alberta demonstrated that serious disasters with tragic consequences don’t only happen in remote parts of the world or developing nations.
That knowledge, combined with a natural willingness of many Salt Springers to become engaged in their neighbourhood groups, has allowed the POD program to reach a high point in its nearly decade-long development.
“People want to become involved, but it’s one thing to have (the plan) on the shelf and it’s another to actually put it in place,” she said.
The POD program is but one of Zook’s responsibilities as the Capital Regional District’s local emergency coordinator. Her other tasks include overseeing the island’s Emergency Social Services and Emergency Operations Centre in the basement of the provincial government office on Lower Ganges Road.
The neighbourhood system itself is based on the 52 island neighbourhoods. Each of these regions is defined by a combination of geographic and demographic considerations, along with discussions with residents.
Of these neighbourhoods, 16 have reached or are near full operation, 21 have begun the process and 15 have yet to initiate the POD planning process. Each neighburhood POD is headed by at least two POD leaders who oversee the activities of sub-leaders for each main street.
Zook said these leaders help create the neighbourhood contact list, identify key resources and skills of residents, point out possible evacuation routes and assess an area’s potential hazards.
Because things can change even within well-established PODs, Zook said she’s always looking for volunteers who would like to serve their neighbourhood. Useful skills include strong leadership abilities, effective communication skills, organization and the ability to stay calm under pressure. Prospective volunteers need not have an emergency response or first-aid background.
More information about the island’s POD program is available online under the Salt Spring Emergency Program section at www.crd.bc.ca. For more specific details, contact Zook at 250-537-1220 or ssiepc@crd.bc.ca.
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