Step One: Complete New Volunteer Orientation and Background Check. All potential volunteers attend a New Volunteer Orientation program to learn about activities and operations of the Arlington Red Cross and to complete initial volunteer registration materials. Visit the right hand side of our website for upcoming orientations.
Step Two: Register for – Fulfilling Our Mission. This course provides an introduction to the Red Cross disaster services mission and role in a community’s actions to prepare for, respond to and recover from emergencies and disasters. You will learn the next steps for volunteer involvement and assess how your skills, abilities and interests can be used to strengthen our capacity to provide service, either as a Disaster Action Team (DAT) member or a local disaster preparedness committee member. Course offerings can be found at: www.redcrossnca.org/index.php/disaster-services-training/course-registration.html
To register, look at the course offerings on the right side of the page. Once you have found the date and time of the Fulfilling our Mission (or DAT Camp to take the four core classes over one weekend) visit this website for registration information: http://www.redcrossnca.org/index.php/disaster-services-training/course-registration.html
Step Three: Enroll in the Disaster Services Human Resource (DSHR) System. DSHR is the disaster volunteer management system which tracks training courses, contact information, and disaster deployment histories. It is used for local DAT responses and preparedness committee membership, as well as for regional and national responses. These forms will also be distributed to those completing Fulfilling Our Mission by Disaster Training staff.
Step Four: Register for and Attend DAT/Disaster Services Training (e.g., DAT Camp). DAT/Disaster Services Training consists of a series of basic level courses providing the initial training necessary to become a DAT member and/or a local preparedness committee member. The courses familiarize you with some of the activities and operations of disaster services and help to lead you into activities that meet your skills and interests.
Courses for Arlington volunteers include, for example: Mass Care Overview, Shelter Operations, Disaster Assessment Basics, and Client Casework. They can be taken individually or in a concentrated weekend (DAT Camp). Since Red Cross courses are standardized, training may be taken at any Red Cross Chapter. DAT Camp courses may differ somewhat from chapter to chapter but that will not affect your ability to become a DAT member or volunteer with the Arlington Chapter.
Disaster services staff are available to discuss training opportunities and requirements with you.
To register for a DAT Camp visit: http://www.redcrossnca.org/index.php/disaster-services-training/course-registration.html
Step Five: Meet with the Emergency/Disaster Services Manager and Decide on a Volunteer Path. The Emergency Services Manager will provide advice and guidance about the different volunteer paths and will be available to share his expertise, skills and perspectives with you. This can help you connect with a portion of our program which matches your skills and interests and enhance the Alexandria Red Cross Chapter’s ability to provide service to clients.
- Path One: Local Disaster Action Team Member (DAT Member)
- Path Two: Local Disaster Preparedness Committee Member
- Path Three: National Disaster Response Team Member – You must be an experienced DAT or Preparedness Committee Member to participate in national responses.
* Volunteers are encouraged to participate in more than one track.
(Steps three through five may run concurrently.)
Step Six: Upon completion of the requirements for the chosen volunteer path, you will be added to a Local Disaster Action Team (DAT) or Local Disaster Preparedness Committee and begin serving with the chapter in your desired capacity as a fully vetted and active volunteer.
Please contact us if you have any questions about this process. We know that volunteers have varying amounts of time to contribute to the Red Cross. We want you to know that no matter how much or how little time you have to offer we will do our very best to ensure that it is a satisfying and enriching experience.
Alexandria Red Cross Disaster Services
Volunteer Paths
Volunteer Path One: Local Disaster Response Team (DAT)
Our Disaster Action Teams (DATs) are the Chapter’s first responders to local disasters and emergencies. They help the Red Cross to fulfill its mission to provide immediate assistance to clients, including food, clothing and shelter.
Teams rotate being on-call and are responsible for responding during the hours the Chapter is closed. In addition, several of our responders have volunteered to be available during the day and are now part of our Daytime DAT. This system enables us to have responders available 24 hours a day, every day, all year long.
Volunteer Path Two: Local Disaster Preparedness Committee Member
Our Local Disaster Preparedness Committees are structured to correspond with the Red Cross’ Volunteer Specialty Tracks and activities: Individual Client Services, Mass Care, Material Support Services, Partner Services, Information Management Support, Staff Services and Organization Support.
We are working to put into place active preparedness committees in sheltering, feeding, disaster assessment, mental health, health services, logistics, government liaising, partner liaising and many more.
Volunteer Track Three: National Disaster Response Team
When a local chapter does not have sufficient resources to meet the needs of a large scale disaster or emergency, the chapter may request additional assistance from the region or national headquarters. Members of a national disaster response team are identified from the DSHR system.
The DSHR System is organized by groups and activities. Each group/activity has training and experience requirements for assignment. You may choose up to three activities in which you are interested in participating. The activities may all be within one group or may be in separate groups. The activities are listed in the member’s order of preference, with the first activity being the primary activity. The member is usually recruited in the primary activity.
Return to Disaster Training Main Page
|
