Emergency Services

Who to call, by situation

The right line depends on what’s happening. If you can’t tell, default to 911, dispatchers will route you to the right place and would much rather get an extra call than miss a real one.

Anything that’s an active emergency, or you’re not sure:

• Call 911. Fire, ambulance, police, life-safety. Always.

After-hours City infrastructure (not an emergency, but it can’t wait until morning):

• Civic Works (water main breaks, sewer backups, downed signs, urgent infrastructure): 250-555-0140.

Non-emergency, but you need a specific line:

• Silvermere Fire Department (burning permits, fire prevention, FireSmart): 250-555-0130. See Fire Department.
• Silvermere RCMP (after-the-fact reports, general questions): 250-555-0120. See RCMP.
• BC Conservation Officer Service (bears, cougars, wildlife in conflict): 250-555-0188 (RAPP line).
• West Highlands Animal Services (animal control, lost pets, off-leash, welfare): 250-555-0142. See Animal Control.
• HealthLink BC (24/7 nurse line for health advice): 8-1-1.

Get notified

The City uses Silvermere Alert! as its primary mass-notification tool for emergencies and significant incidents. Sign up to receive immediate text, phone, landline, or email notifications.

Sign up for Silvermere Alert. It's free and takes a few minutes.

Be ready before something happens

Most emergency response works best when residents are prepared in advance:

• Build a grab-and-go kit for every household member. See Emergency Preparedness for the checklist.
• Pick a family meeting spot outside the city and an out-of-area contact who can relay messages.
• Know two evacuation routes from your neighbourhood.
• Sign up for Silvermere Alert (above).
• Have a backup if cell service goes down. A battery or hand-crank radio tuned to a local AM/FM station works when towers are overloaded or out.

Common local risks

The West Highlands's specific seasonal risks include:

• Wildfire in summer. Track BC Wildfire Service at wildfiresituation.nrs.gov.bc.ca.
• Smoke and air quality. Severe smoke events get advisories through Silvermere Alert.
• Spring runoff and flooding along the lake and creeks.
• Winter storms and road closures. Check DriveBC.
• Wildlife encounters, especially bears in fall. See Bear Smart.