If a community is overwhelmed by a disaster and does not have access to support from neighbouring communities, the provincial EM office (in BC, it’s EMBC) may provide assistance at the request of the local Emergency Program Coordinator or ESS Director by activating ESS Mobile Support Teams (MST).
- MSTs are regionally-based teams composed of trained ESS volunteers
- MSTs can travel, on short notice, to any community not able to mobilize a sufficient number of trained volunteers to deal with a local emergency
- MSTs may provide on-site training and consultation for local residents to assist them in organizing ESS during an evacuation
- Travel and accommodation costs of MST response to an emergency are covered by the provincial EM office (in BC, it’s EMBC)
- Management, training, and exercising of these teams are also funded by the provincial EM office (in BC, it’s EMBC)
- In BC, information regarding the MST can be requested from the provincial ESS Office – contact information is in the Introduction of this guide
