Let’s find better ways to harness this deluge of good intentions

Canada can create a corps of trained civil protection volunteers, says Eva Cohen.

The flooding along the Gatineau and Ottawa Rivers has destroyed homes, uprooted families and transformed communities into battlegrounds where the enemy is nature.

Canadians are pitching in yet again to help people caught up in this mess.

I’ve been just one of the thousands of volunteers over the last number of days who are trying to help. The generosity and determination of the people who turn out is something to witness.

The volunteers I’ve encountered in this region have been enthusiastic and creative in trying to assist. People chipped in their own equipment to help, such as trucks or pumps. Others were just in the region as visitors and joined in the efforts. Unfortunately, hundreds had to be turned away in Gatineau one day last week as the city was just not able to manage such an outpour of untrained and un-coordinated manpower. Yet, the dedication of Gatineau city workers trying to deal with a situation totally different from their routine jobs was heartwarming.

Ad-hoc volunteerism comes from the heart, but it can be chaotic, even disruptive.

Lacking leadership, structure and guidance makes volunteers not nearly as effective as they could be.

Imagine the organizational challenges for the city when last week at one site they had only a handful of volunteers who came out to help, yet on another day volunteers appeared in the hundreds.

Logistics, trying to explain best practice and work safety issues (such as the correct way of forming a line to hand on the sandbags so people don’t damage their backs) is virtually impossible.

Canada should harness these good intentions and energetic people and put all to better use under a new model of proactive civil protection, based on preparedness and the sustainable mobilizing and training of volunteers across the country.

We are witnessing first-hand larger-scale emergency situations of all sorts. It’s not going to get easier. And while our first responders are doing their best with stretched budgets, they should be supported with a structured volunteer force as a technical second response capacity so we can all be more efficient and effective.

Communities would be in an improved position to respond adequately to emergencies if

they had local teams of trained all-hazards volunteers at the ready, while being integrated into a national network of volunteers who are equipped, know their tasks and are ready to mobilize anywhere in Canada when disaster strikes to efficiently support first responders. First responders know their jobs; technical second response volunteers would then know theirs.

Investments would be needed, yes.

But consider the economic impact of natural disasters: 2016 Fort McMurray wildfires, $3.58 billion; 2013 Alberta flood, $1.72 billion; 1998 Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick Ice Storm, $1.4 billion.

Canadians time and again step forward to help, so we certainly have the will. We just need the way. I’m encouraged that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has given the minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness the mandate to do better, and instructed him to “work with the provinces and territories, Indigenous Peoples and municipalities to develop a comprehensive action plan that allows Canada to better predict, prepare for and respond to weatherrelated emergencies and natural disasters.”

Let’s organize ourselves accordingly.