Hundreds from around the province are meeting at an emergency support conference in Kamloops this weekend ahead of what could likely be another challenging wildfire season.
It will be the 11th time the Network of Emergency Support Services Teams (NESST) Conference has been held, and by far the most well-attended.
288 people are registered this time around, last year when the event was held in Prince George there were only 189 attendees.
“This conference is for volunteers that represent emergency support services,” Deborah Jones-Middleton, the President of the NESST Conference Society told My PG Now. “These volunteers are the people who step up to help people when they are evacuated from their homes due to an emergency like wildfire, flooding, or a house fire.”
She said those that attend the conference will learn a range of skills, including how to look after and manage their own teams of responders, and how to better respond to these potential emergencies.
“With everything that has been happening, the importance of having people ready, trained, and able to support evacuated residents is very critical,” Jones-Middleton said. “These people care about their community and people, and want to help.”
Prince George will host the conference again in 2025.
You can learn more about this year’s conference here.