Coordinated Operation Response in Emergencies Team

CORE Team has two program streams:

• Emergency Management and Climate Readiness (EMCR) for response and recovery during emergencies and disasters (inclusive of wildfire events)
• BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) for response and recovery during wildfire events

On this page

• About CORE Team
• Become an EMCR CORE Team member
• Become a CORE Team member
• Training

About CORE Team

CORE Team is the program within the BC Public Service which ensures we have a system to maintain a resource pool of qualified employees from various ministries with appropriate skills to work in emergency operations centres and wildfire response efforts.

With increasing climate and non-climate related emergencies and disaster events in British Columbia, CORE Team members make a tremendous positive impact in communities throughout B.C. during times of need.

As a CORE Team member, you gain valuable experience and training in emergency response and coordination. Assist in supporting British Columbia’s efforts responding to numerous hazards impacting the province, such as wildfires, severe weather, mudslides and tsunamis. While helping people in British Columbia during times of crisis, you’ll also gain valuable professional skills to further your career.

When you apply to CORE Team, a variety of factors such as your knowledge, skills, abilities, interest, and experience working in emergency operations and wildfire centres are taken into consideration in the acceptance, training or placement in a CORE Team role. Any BC Public Service employee can apply to the CORE Team Program with supervisor permission.

Important attributes in supporting CORE Team are:

• Sound judgement
• Social responsibility
• Calmness under pressure
• Diversified thinking
• Empathy
• Fairness

CORE Team is looking for BC Public Service employees who have skills in:

• Leadership
• Organization
• Teamwork
• Planning and logistics
• Finance and administration
• Safety and risk management
• Operations
• Communications and client engagement
• Technical specialists (for example, hydrologist, geomorphologist)

When you apply to become a CORE Team member, you are joining a pool of BC Public Service employees who have self-identified skills, training and experience to assist the province in emergency situations. 

Once deployed, you take on a temporary role while maintaining your base position and rate of pay. You’ll be deployed for up to:

• 10 days at a time with EMCR
• 14 days at a time with BCWS

Become an EMCR CORE Team member

EMCR CORE Team members play a critical role in response and recovery efforts during emergencies and disasters in British Columbia.

CORE Team members deployed with EMCR can expect to work collaboratively in various roles and areas based on their experience and skills, including:

• Planning and management of resources
• Information gathering and reporting
• Communications
• Personnel management
• Facilities management
• Financial functions

EMCR CORE Team members can expect to be deployed for up to 10 days at a time to fulfill a role within a Provincial Regional Emergency Operations Centre (PREOC) and Provincial Emergency Coordination Centre (PECC).

Visit the CORE Team page on the EMCR intranet for full details about deployments, what to expect and how to apply.

Become a CORE Team member

BCWS CORE Team members play a crucial role in the response and recovery efforts during before, during and after wildfire events. Accepted BCWS CORE Team members may be called upon at any time during fire season (April 1 to September 30).

If accepted into the program, you may be deployed to the Provincial Wildfire Coordination Centre (PWCC) in Kamloops, BCWS Headquarters in Victoria or to a fire centre in one of the six regions:

• Cariboo
• Coastal
• Kamloops
• Northwest
• Prince George
• Southeast

BCWS CORE Team members may also be deployed to fire camps closer to active fire areas to support wildfire fire crews.

The type of deployment depends on where you are deployed to. Examples of roles include:

• Coordination centre/fire centre: Office setting
• Zone office: Office setting or local command centre setup
• Incident: Local command centre or remote camp setup
• Working remotely: Your home office supporting wildfire, often including overtime, weekends and as support is needed

BCWS CORE Team members can expect to be deployed for up to 14 days at a time.

Visit the CORE Team page on the BCWS intranet for full details about deployments, what to expect and how to apply.

Training

All accepted applicants are provided with orientation and training prior to deployments so you know what to expect in your role. Visit the EMCR intranet or BCWS intranet to learn more about what training and resources are offered for the respective CORE Team programs.