A Disaster Support Hub is intended to:
- Understand what is happening by gathering information.
- Provide information to the public so the community knows how to help each other and stay safe.
- Solve problems using the resources and skills available in the community.
- Provide a safe gathering place for community members to support one another.
Note: The Hub does not contain emergency supplies of water and food as it is not intended to provide that type of support. The Hub is a strictly neighbourhood initiative and the volunteers who gather are there to provide help to our neighbours and gather and disseminate information as it becomes available. They are not city employees.
With extensive community support and a generous grant from the Dunbar Community Centre Association, DEEP set up a Disaster Support Hub in a revamped shipping container in Memorial Park, behind the Dunbar Community Centre. The Hub is where community members can gather to exchange information and coordinate their efforts to help each other during a disaster.
In a disaster, trained volunteers will gather at the Hub to set up the core hub structures (information tents, radio communication, and message boards). One priority will be establishing and maintaining radio contact with Vancouver’s Emergency Communications network to receive and convey critical information.
Many residents will come to the Hub seeking help, while others will offer help or resources to assist community members. The Hub’s volunteers and information boards will help link local needs with available resources and disseminate information drawn from the Emergency Communications network and other reports. This information could range from water safety to locations for food, shelter or medical help, for example.
Get involved
DEEP welcomes volunteers with all skills and capabilities; we are an all-volunteer group.
Join our training sessions
Run by volunteers, we host regular training sessions for community members to learn how to use the Disaster Support Hub.Sign up to our mailing list and keep an eye on our upcoming events for Support Hub workshops and training exercises.
Become a Dunbar Disaster Support Hub Crew Member
We’re launching the Dunbar Disaster Support Hub Crew soon!
Keep an eye out for updates, and if you’re not on our mailing list yet, be sure to sign up.
What's inside
The Disaster Support Hub is not a first aid station, nor is it stocked with food, water, or temporary shelter.
Instead, it provides the essential tools a community needs to share information and organize support during a disaster. We regularly update and improve our resources to ensure we’re ready to help when needed.
