Answering the call!
For nearly five years, a Prince George response group has gone out locally, provincially, nationally and internationally, to provide relief, aid and support in times of crisis.
Team Rubicon opened a branch in the northern capital in 2017, shortly after the organization responded to the Fort McMurray, Alta., wildfires.
The non-profit’s goal is to provide disaster response to those in need in pushing forward the sense of community strength wherever they’re called upon.
Prince George’s division has mobilized volunteers locally on a number of occasions and while they range in experience, Deputy Administrator Eric Depenau explains the door is always open for more helping hands.
“Whether they’re emergency support services, veterans or just outstanding civilians that join to help their neighbours in need,” he said in an interview with PrinceGeorgeMatters.
“A lot of the work we’re doing locally is around the opioid crisis, supporting folks in our downtown [...] looking to help wherever we can, whether that’s an individual or a community. Things like mudslides, the forest fires, we’re very involved in and hope to be more so in the future.”
Today (April 15), Prince George made the proclamation that next week, April 17 to 21, 2021, will be known as ‘Team Rubicon Week’ in recognizing its time, dedication and service to the global community and raised a flag at city hall in their honour.
Recent deployments have taken local residents to Honduras and Bahamas for natural disaster relief, domestically to Ontario for recent floods and elsewhere in Canada to help with COVID-19 vaccination programs.
Depenau classified the efforts as ‘a lot of local folks making a global impact,’ but with the weather warming up in northern B.C., this could mean more help will be needed resulting from regional incidents.
“Many hands make light work,” he explained.
“We know that there’s going to be flooding, mudslides and fires in our future, and even if it’s not local, there’s going to be a need elsewhere. So hopefully more members will come on down, step into the fray with us and volunteer their time and talents. Not everybody can do the same types of operation, so we have a spot for everybody. If somebody is able to deploy internationally for prolonged periods and live in somewhat austere conditions immediately following a disaster when those services might not be there, that’s excellent because we need those folks. We have logistical support sides, we have stuff that’s happening locally [...] there’s always a place on the team.”
Internationally, Team Rubicon Prince George is working with multiple divisions in Canada and the United States in watching the weather elsewhere around the world.
Locally, the team is also looking for space to host training and courses for others willing to take a step forward.
Its next mission is its participation in the virtual Northern Emergency Services Support Conference in hopes of making more community connections.
Team Rubicon began in Canada in 2010 in response to the Haiti earthquake.
For more information on getting involved, you’re encouraged to visit Team Rubicon’s website.
On hand for today’s COVID-safe flag raising included Prince George Mayor Lyn Hall, Cariboo-Prince George MP Todd Doherty; Conrad Rowlands, representative for Prince George-Valemount MLA Shirley Bond’s office and seven Team Rubicon members.
