Penticton's Emergency Support Services wins national award for work during 2021 floods and wildfires

Photo: The Penticton ESS management team.

The City of Penticton's Emergency Support Services team has received national recognition for their excellent work.

The team, which helps coordinate response for evacuees in all manner of disaster situations like wildfires and floods, received an Emergency Management Exemplary Service Award, which is a partnership between federal, provincial, and territorial governments that recognizes recipients for outstanding achievement.

Specifically, the team was recognized for its work during the 2021 fires and floods.

"Volunteers provided supports to evacuees from 20 communities, including the First Nations communities who were affected by the Lytton wildfires," reads a news release from the City of Penticton Thursday.

"More than 4,000 hours were spent providing for evacuees, at times in person, and through a successful virtual process that enabled supports to be provided through text messaging and emails."

The ESS management team, Vicky Horton, Pat Handley, Roger Handley, Jean Mcleod and Debbie MacDonald accepted the award, and gratefully acknowledge all the volunteers who worked alongside them: Linda Campbell, Joyce Chen, Kathy Dean, Joyce Ericson, Valerie Fenn, Sandra Henderson, Norm Hunchuk, Dennis Jacobsen, CarolJones, Lynn Kinsey, Mark McKenney, Cheryl McPherson, Karen Roberts, Sherry Scott, Aggie Stevens and Leanne Sklarenko.