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Get a Plan…to Volunteer!
Steps to Helping Your Community
Before, During and After a Disaster
Volunteers are
essential in being prepared for, responding to and recovering from
disasters.
The key is to get trained and affiliated before the storm.
To prepare our community to
effectively utilize and derive maximum benefit from the
contributions of volunteers, and to motivate the public to become
affiliated with a relief organization before a disaster occurs, the
United Way of Volusia-Flagler Counties’ Volunteer Center and First
Call for Help/2-1-1 have established the United in Disasters’
Disaster Volunteer Management Program.
The resources of
a Volunteer Center and 2-1-1 are most appreciated than in a time of
disaster, because of their ability to quickly mobilize and deploy
large numbers of volunteers to meet a broad array of community
needs. The skill and ability to match citizens desiring to help
with specific needs in the community are not generally available in
the disaster response system. Advance collaborative planning ensures
that the Volunteer Center and 2-1-1 ensures a coordinated response
when disaster strikes. For instance, spontaneous unaffiliated
volunteers can be sent by the Volunteer Center to work alongside
trained volunteers to expand the capacity of major disaster relief
agencies. Spontaneous volunteers can also fill staffing gaps and
enhance the ability of community-based organizations to respond to
their constituents. The Volunteer Center may even organize teams to
offer direct relief services to individuals and families with
limited or unavailable resources.
United
in Disasters will
strengthen local governments, volunteer agencies, and private sector
organizations as new volunteers affiliate with local relief
agencies. The community will derive the benefits of planning and
organization as the effectiveness of all volunteers increases. A
strong partnership will develop between response agencies and the
Volunteer Center/2-1-1 as all volunteers find meaningful and
stimulating opportunities to help their community before and
after disasters.
How
did we get here?
In 1993, Florida
established the Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan that
identified 17 Emergency Support Functions to oversee and coordinate
response to disaster. Under the Emergency Support Function concept,
agencies with similar functions are grouped together to facilitate
effective interagency operations. A lead agency, with resources and
in-depth knowledge, coordinates the work of each Function.
Working under
Volusia County Emergency Management Services,
United Way of Volusia-Flagler
Counties (The Volunteer Center and 2-1-1) is now the Lead Agency for
Emergency Support Function (ESF) 15’s coordination of volunteers in
response to a disaster. The purpose of this function is to define
the local procedures to manage and coordinate the receipt and
delivery of volunteer personnel and services before, during and
after a disaster.
As the lead agency for ESF-15,
United Way of Volusia-Flagler Counties will:
1.
Identify those
agencies/organizations which have support roles with volunteers.
2.
Identify duties and
responsibilities of the lead and each supporting agency.
3.
Identify resources
within the community for response and recovery.
4.
Describe how missions
and resources will be coordinated between lead and support agencies.
5.
Provide the reference
location of inventory of personnel, data, equipment and vehicles
that will be used for volunteers.
6.
Identify any planning
assumptions that were considered in the development of the
volunteer’s function. (i.e. capability limitations, resource
shortfalls, use of mutual aid/outside resources and personnel,
etc.).
7.
Identify and describe
the pre-positioning or staging of volunteer resources.
How
YOU can help…
Register
in advance to help in times of disaster.
Enroll and become
affiliated with an experienced disaster relief organization before
the storm to expedite your activation, assist in the most beneficial
way and help the community through the response and recovery efforts
in a timelier manner. Also, be sure to find out what training is
available. Groups such as The Salvation Army, American Red Cross,
United Way, churches and civic organizations provide regular
training for disaster volunteers.
Examples
of How Volunteers Can Help…
•
Promote
family preparedness by distributing educational materials
•
Prepare
and distribute meals to victims and relief workers
•
Assist
with the placement and tracking of victims in evacuation shelters
•
Provide
child care for disaster survivors
•
Compile
and distribute disaster recovery information to survivors
•
Answer
phones at volunteer reception or disaster recovery centers
•
Provide
debris removal and clean-up assistance to the elderly or disabled
Before
traveling into a disaster area to help...
In a community
struggling to respond to and recover from a disaster, an influx of
unexpected or unneeded volunteers can make the process even more
difficult and create disasters within the disaster and place an
additional demand on critical resources.
Learn
where and when your skills will be needed the most before
deploying. Call United Way of Volusia-Flagler Counties by
dialing 2-1-1 or 386-253-0563
and discuss with the
ESF-15 Coordinators/Volunteer Organizers how your services and
resources can best be utilized.
Information for Agencies:
United in Disasters as a program will
strengthen local governments, volunteer agencies and private
sector organizations as new volunteers affiliate with local
relief agencies. The community will derive benefits of advanced
planning and organization as the effectiveness of spontaneous
volunteers increases. A strong partnership will develop between
response agencies and the United Way to ensure that all
volunteers find meaningful and stimulating opportunities to help
their community before and after a disaster. Have you identified
those critical roles for volunteers to help your agency continue
to serve your clients before, during and after a disaster? Let
the United Way help you develop and recruit for the volunteer
component of your organization's emergency plans.
The Volunteer Center of the United Way also
offers comprehensive Volunteer Management Training each spring
and fall.
In the event Volusia County experiences a
disaster, please do not hesitate to call United Way with your
volunteer needs. In order to expedite your request, we ask that
you please develop a complete volunteer job description
prior to contacting United Way.
GET
STARTED NOW AS A DISASTER RESPONSE VOLUNTEER
TO
SEARCH VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES GO TO
http://www.helpindisaster.org
OTHER
USEFUL LINKS/INFORMATION…
Volusia County Citizen
Corps
Volusia County Emergency
Management
www.Floridadisaster.org: Get a Family Plan, Get a Business Plan,
Strengthen Your Home
www.fema.gov
www.volunteerflorida.org
Florida's Coast to Coast
Chapter of the American Red Cross
Salvation Army of Volusia-Flagler
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