Funding for three new communities to be served by the Bulkley Emergency Support Service (ESS) was approved by Smithers council.
Currently, ESS supports Smithers and Telkwa with Witset, Houston, and Granisle being added.
During tonight’s (Tuesday) council meeting, a $200,000 grant application to the Union of BC Municipalities Community Emergency Preparedness Fund was approved.
The funding would go towards activation kits for Witset and Houston, lockers, video conferencing screens, and new uniforms.
“This project was developed to support not only ourselves, but the other communities around us and develop volunteer numbers in other communities,” said Bulkley ESS Director Matt Herzog.
Over the next two years, Bulkley ESS will respond to events in the new communities.
“On average, each community gets between one and two calls per year, so we don’t anticipate a large increase in call volumes,” said Herzog.
After two years, the hope is volunteers local to each new community can respond to events as needed.
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