The South Cariboo Rec Centre was bustling with people on July 23 as evacuees from 100 Mile House and the surrounding areas returned to their homes.
After the order was rescinded, the Rec Centre threw open their doors as the new Information Centre for people returning in the area.
Set up in the arena are booths from many organizations providing support: Emergency Social Services, the Red Cross the Cariboo Regional District, the Friendship Centre, Telus, the District of 100 Mile House, the Age Friendly Society and many, many more.
Barbara Perrey, the Information Centre Co-ordinator, has been back in 100 Mile House since Thursday, July 20 making sure the centre was ready to go.
“We’re just so privileged to have so many people just jump in so quickly,” she says.
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The idea is to make sure that people have access to resources right away.
“If there are needs that are identified, we try to link people with the right resources and just make sure people are supported as much as possible,” says Perry.
Information from Interior Health is available, as well as how to access mental health resources. People at the info centre were also in the process of co-ordinating volunteers to help with fridge removal.
If one of the many volunteers at the centre don’t have an answer, they will look into finding someone who does.
“Whatever people ask we are just making sure we can find that resource,” she says.
Canadian Red Cross provides cleaning kits, financial support for re-entry
The back of the arena is set up as a Canadian Red Cross centre, providing evacuees with kits to help clean their homes, and clearing people to receive $300 for re-entry costs.
‘There are different ways you can assist and it depends on different scenarios,” says Paul Sauve, the lead volunteer for deployment in 100 Mile House. “In this case, people are re-entering. They’ve been away for seven to 14 days and we try and help them with the equipment to re-enter their homes.”
In this case, the equipment comes in the form of a fire supply kit as well as a generic cleaning supply kit. The contents of which Sauve explains in the video above.
“Having experienced this all over the country we’ve developed a stereotype of things people need when they re-enter their homes depending on the disaster,” he says. “In the case of fire, we provide them with what we call a fire kit. These are all items we would all need once they enter their homes again. Working with the Ministry of Health, working with those other partners, we try to meet all of the needs of those people who returned.”
The funding for the kits comes from people who have donated to the Red Cross. Additionally, the Red Cross has taken on administrating funds provided by the government for wildfire evacuees who have registered with them.
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They also look to provide additional support for those in need.
“We also go case by case. Some people with a little more needs, we would do a needs assessment in that case and look at every case individually,” says Sauve.
Otherwise, they try to get help to those who need it first.
“We look at who is needy and we try and get them their services as fast as possible. It is a very community atmosphere. As you see, people are talking, people are letting the other ones in front of the line.”
Over 46,400 people have registered with the Red Cross since the wildfires began in B.C. and people who still need to register are encouraged to call 1-800-863-6582.
The Red Cross is also still accepting donations, emphasizing that their relief efforts don’t just stop once evacuees go home.
Otherwise, the centre in 100 Mile House is being staffed by volunteers across the country.
“All of us have on common [trait],” says Sauve. “Our ability is to try and make a difference, but ours here is to help people.”
The Information Centre and Canadian Red Cross will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. July 24 and will move to operating from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. for the rest of the week, through the weekend and into next week. They say they will continue as long as there is a need for their services.