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Emergency and Evacuation Resources

Llenllenéy'ten (High Bar First Nation) has gathered the emergency and evacuation resources our members need in one place, this page is made to help you find support, register for services, and stay informed. Members are our first priority, and our team is here to walk through this with you.

 

We have lived on these lands since time immemorial, and we care for one another through every season, including the hard ones. If you need help, please reach out. You are not doing this alone.

Have You Been Impacted by Wildfire?

Click below for more information and to apply for Employment Insurance.

Member Support

High Bar Member Support

Our team is here to help members through every step. Where possible, please direct Emergency Support Services questions to Keisha and Cassidy.

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Keisha Fletcher Cantre, Community Navigator and ESS support

Keisha is High Bar's Community Navigator and an Emergency Support Services volunteer. She can help you register for ESS and work through any issues you run into. She can support you virtually or meet you where you are if needed. If you are unsure whether you are registered or eligible for support, Keisha can check for you.

 

 

 

Cassidy Fletcher McKague, Services Coordinator

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First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) Health Benefits

FNHA can help with health needs while you are away from home, including prescription refills, medical supplies and equipment, and medical transportation.

 

ESS
Cassidy

Emergency Support Services (ESS)

What Emergency Support Services are

Emergency Support Services help people meet basic needs during and immediately after an emergency such as a wildfire evacuation. Services are coordinated by the local government or regional district, with trained volunteers assisting. Support can include meals, clothing, blankets and toiletries, temporary lodging, and help reuniting with loved ones. Depending on the emergency, ESS may also arrange emotional support, first aid and health services, child minding, pet care, and transportation. ESS is often available for up to 72 hours and sometimes longer.

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You can go to any open reception centre

Evacuees are not restricted to a specific centre based on which evacuation order they are under. Members may use whichever open reception centre is most convenient. Reception centre hours change constantly and are not published in real time, so always confirm a centre is open before travelling.

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The Provincial ESS Helpline can confirm which centres are open and their current hours.

  • Provincial ESS Helpline: 1-800-387-4258, 7 days a week, 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.

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How to register for ESS

  • Online at ess.gov.bc.ca

  • By phone through the Provincial ESS Helpline: 1-800-387-4258, 7 days a week, 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.

  • You do not have to attend in person. The BC Services Card app lets members register from anywhere.

  • To receive support virtually, you will need the BC Services Card app set up on your phone. If you are not able to set up the app, our Community Navigator can help you in person, or you can visit a Service BC office to verify your identity and set it up.

  • For help registering or navigating ESS, contact Keisha Fletcher Cantre, Community Navigator, at projectcoordinator@hbfn.ca or 250-457-4201.

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Registering for a BC Services Card

Registering for a BC Services Card account can make it faster and easier to access ESS supports. Accessing ESS through your BC Services Card account may also allow you to receive food and shelter supports through Interac e-Transfer, rather than the traditional voucher system.

 

To register, download the BC Services Card app. You will need valid, non-expired government-issued ID.

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​​​​​A Photo BC Services Card is the easiest option, but you do not need one to apply. You can use a combination of other ID, such as:

  • a Secure Certificate of Indian Status plastic card (Please note that the laminated orange Certificate of Indian Status card and the Metis (MNBC) ID card can only be used as secondary ID and must be paired with another piece of ID)

  • Canadian birth certificate

  • B.C. Driver's License

  • BC Identity Card or Canadian passport

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Health & Mental Wellness

Health and Mental Wellness

Evacuations are stressful. Support is available, and reaching out is a sign of strength.

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Mental wellness support

  • KUU-US Indigenous Crisis Line: 1-800-588-8717, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

  • BC Mental Health Support Line: 310-6789, no area code needed

 

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Health support

The First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) can help with health needs while you are away from home. Call FNHA Health Benefits at 1-855-550-5454 for prescription refills, medical supplies and equipment, and medical transportation.

 

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Pharmacy coverage for Status members: Plan W covers some over the counter items

If you had to evacuate quickly and left your over the counter supplies behind, you can go to a pharmacy and speak to a pharmacist. Plan W (First Nations Health Benefits) covers some over the counter items at no cost for Status members, including pain medication such as Tylenol, allergy medication, basic vitamins, eye drops, and more.

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How it works

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  • Speak to the pharmacist about what you need. For many items you do not need a prescription. The pharmacist can assess your needs, recommend a covered item, complete a short form, and give you the item at no cost.

  • A prescription from a doctor, nurse practitioner, or midwife is also accepted, filled at no cost at the pharmacy.

  • You must be enrolled with FNHA Health Benefits for Plan W to apply. If you are not sure whether you are enrolled, call FNHA Health Benefits at 1-855-550-5454 and have your Status number ready. This is the same number to call for prescription refills, medical supplies and equipment, and medical transportation.​

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Plan W Over The Counter drug list

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First Nations Health Benefits (Plan W)

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Pharmacy benefit FAQ's

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Wildfire smoke

Wildfire smoke can be harmful, especially for children, older adults, and people with pre-existing conditions. Leaving the area does not reliably avoid smoke, because smoke travels. In most cases the guidance is to stay indoors with windows and doors closed, fresh air intakes closed, air conditioning set to recirculate, a HEPA filter running if you have one, and a humidifier if it helps.

 

Check current air quality advisories at gov.bc.ca/air-quality-advisories.​

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Be Prepared

Be Prepared

Know your evacuation stages

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Evacuation Alert.

Be ready to leave on short notice. Gather your bags, plan, documents, and mementos. Fuel your vehicle or keep it at least half charged. Move patio furniture and mats indoors, take down flammable window treatments, connect hoses, and fill large containers with water.

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Evacuation Order.

Leave immediately. Close doors and windows and turn on interior and exterior lights so crews can see the home through heavy smoke. Follow official routes. A reception centre may open with food, lodging, clothing, emotional support, and family reunification.

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Evacuation Rescind.

You may return once officials confirm the threat has passed. Stay tuned for any further alerts or orders.

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Build a grab-and-go bag

Prepare a bag for everyone in your household, and customize for pets, young children, older adults, and people with disabilities. A basic list includes:

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  • Sacred and cultural items, smudging supplies, cremated remains, and sacred plants

  • Bottled water and ready-to-eat food

  • Phone charger and battery bank

  • A small battery-powered or hand-crank radio

  • Flashlight and extra batteries

  • A small first aid kit and personal medications

  • Toiletries and spare glasses or contacts

  • Copies of your emergency plan and important documents

  • Seasonal clothing and an emergency blanket

  • Pen and notepad, and a whistle

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Protect your home with FireSmart

Simple steps around the home reduce wildfire risk, such as keeping the area right against the house clear of anything that can burn, using fire resistant landscaping, and moving firewood, trailers, and sheds away from the house. Learn more at FireSmartBC.ca.

Returning Home After a Fire

Returning Home After a Fire

Return home only when officials confirm it is safe, and use the routes they identify. When you get home:

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  • Check the perimeter for downed wires, a gas smell, or falling debris before entering. If anything seems unsafe, stay out and call for help.

  • Have electrical and gas systems checked by licensed professionals before use. If natural gas was shut off at the meter, only a licensed contractor may turn it back on.

  • Do not drink, cook with, or wash in tap water until officials confirm the water is safe.

  • When in doubt about any food or medication that was exposed to heat or smoke, throw it out. Check with a doctor or pharmacist before taking any medication that was in a fire.

  • Contact your insurance representative as soon as possible. Keep receipts for clean-up and living expenses, and take photos of any damage.

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Emotional recovery matters too. Accept help, lean on family and community, and seek counselling or spiritual guidance if you need it. First Nations Health Authority counselling is available, and the KUU-US Indigenous Crisis Line (1-800-588-8717) is open 24 hours a day.

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Pet Care

Animal, Livestock and Pet Care

Our animals are part of our families, our homes, and our livelihoods. If you need help with any of this, contact our team in the High Bar Member Support section above. You do not have to manage this alone.

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If your animals are still in an evacuation order area
 

Do not re-enter an evacuation order area on your own.

Fire conditions can change quickly, and people who remain in or return to an order area can pull crews away from priority work.

 

Officials are caring for animals left behind.

During the current evacuation, officials have said they are working with property owners and partner agencies to care for pets and livestock left behind in the Village until safe retrieval can be completed.

 

Access passes to retrieve animals.

Access passes to re-enter an evacuation order area go through the TNRD Emergency Operations Centre. Passes are approved for critical needs only, and retrieving animals is one of them. Passes are issued the next day, never the same day, so call as early as you can.

 

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Moving ranch animals and livestock

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The Province of B.C. supports livestock relocation for commercial producers during emergencies. Contact AgriService BC at 1-888-221-7141 or AgriServiceBC@gov.bc.ca. If your animals are not part of a commercial farm business, the volunteer teams below and our own team can help you find support.

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Livestock Relocation -->

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Volunteer animal response teams help transport, shelter, and foster animals during evacuations. They are mobilized when local authorities and Emergency Support Services request them, and they also publish planning resources you can use anytime.

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Pets during an evacuation

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  • Transport pets in kennels or on a leash when you leave.

  • Emergency Support Services can arrange pet care when you register. Register at ess.gov.bc.ca, call the Provincial ESS Helpline at 1-800-387-4258, or ask our Community Navigator for help.

  • For emergency pet boarding, contact the BC SPCA at 1-855-622-7722.

  • Reception centres have at times provided pet food and essential animal care supplies for displaced animals, such as crates, litter, leashes, and collars. Availability changes, so confirm with the ESS Helpline (1-800-387-4258) before travelling.

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Plan ahead for your animals

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If you have livestock, get your plan ready during an evacuation alert.

An alert means be ready to move quickly if an order comes. Line up transport and trailers, confirm where your animals can go, and prepare feed, water, and records. Support for livestock transport can depend on the stage of the emergency, so contact our Services Coordinator and we can help you confirm what is covered and connect you with support.

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Prepare a grab-and-go bag for your pets.

Include a carrier or crate, food and water for at least three days, medications and basic first aid supplies, a copy of vaccination records, collapsible dishes, a leash, collar or harness, photos of your pets with you and alone, and a comfort item such as a blanket or toy.

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Plan ahead with your neighbours.

Give a neighbour or trusted friend a key so they can get your pets if you are not home during an emergency, and tell them your pets' likely hiding spots.

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Official Info Sources

Official Information Sources

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​​Please stay safe and take care of one another. We are here for you.

 

Kukwstéc-kucw.​

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