Wildfire evacuees can now access a variety of support services at a resiliency centre that the Thompson-Nicola Regional District (TNRD) has opened in Kamloops.
The centre 害羞草研究所� at #3-700 Tranquille Road at Northills Mall 害羞草研究所� is open seven days a week, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Dale Kronebusch, Recovery Manager for the TNRD, says the centre is open to anyone affected by wildfire evacuation orders, whether they live in the TNRD or not. 害羞草研究所淚f they害羞草研究所檙e evacuated, they can come here.害羞草研究所�
The centre provides a number of resources for people who have had to leave their home community and don害羞草研究所檛 know where to access things in a strange city.
害羞草研究所淧eople can connect with child services, and we can direct them to where to go to get a new passport,害羞草研究所� says Kronebusch. 害羞草研究所淭he Insurance Bureau of Canada is here, and they害羞草研究所檒l sleuth out who your insurance company is.害羞草研究所�
He adds that some insurance companies have representatives there with chequebooks. 害羞草研究所淭hey can start claims if you害羞草研究所檝e received damage, and if you have a clause for emergency funding in your policy you can leave with a cheque if your insurance company is here, and tap into that funding right away.害羞草研究所�
Service Canada is on site to start an Employment Insurance claim for anyone who needs that. Service BC is also at the centre, and there are maps to ICBC locations in Kamloops for anyone who needs driver害羞草研究所檚 licence and other services. 害羞草研究所淚f we get busy enough, ICBC will come here,害羞草研究所� Kronebusch adds.
Technical Safety BC is at the centre to help people whose electricity, propane, or gas services have been compromised, and health authorities 害羞草研究所� including the First Nations Health Authority 害羞草研究所� have representatives there to answer questions. There is also information about the FireSafe and FireSmart programs, which Kronebusch says is an opportunity to educate people about what to do if similar events happen in the future.
害羞草研究所淲e hope it never happens, but it害羞草研究所檚 a changing environment, and these things are starting to ramp up. It helps people be ready for next time.害羞草研究所� Recovery resources such as building permit packages will also be available, so that people can start their application and it can be fast-tracked to cut down on the length of the process.
Samaritan害羞草研究所檚 Purse and Team Rubicon representatives are on site. Both organizations help people find things on their property that survived a fire, and recover them for the owners.
Kronebusch says that a mobile resiliency team offering services will be deployed to locations around the province where evacuees are concentrated, to help them do a needs assessment of what needs to be done. Asked how long the resiliency centre in Kamloops will be available, he says 害羞草研究所淎s long as there are evacuees, we will stay open.害羞草研究所�
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