By Marc Meredith, Disaster Response Volunteer
As Southern Californians brace for wildfires, across the country hurricane season is in full swing. Residents of the Gulf Coast are wearily anticipating three to seven storms predicted to hit this year.
Just as American Red Cross workers in other parts of the U.S. can be called to assist here during the wildfires, L.A. volunteers are prepared to hop on a plane with less than 24 hours notice to help residents impacted by the hurricanes.
Local volunteers are “deployed” or sent by the American Red Cross to a disaster site when a disaster is too large for a local chapter to manage. In May, for example, five Greater Los Angeles Red Cross workers were deployed to Tennessee as part of a 1,000-person Red Cross contingent assisting flood victims in that region.
The needs for each disaster response vary, but volunteers who are trained in a disaster specialty, such as client casework, disaster health services, mass care, logistics, or disaster public affairs, and have responded to disasters at the local level are especially needed. Volunteers need to be able to commit at least two weeks time and have the ability to deploy within 24 hours.
To become eligible for a national deployment, volunteers need to take the following steps:
- Be trained in at least one disaster response specialties, such as Disaster Mental Health, Client Casework or Public Affairs.
- Hold a valid drivers license.
- Become active in the DHSR (Disaster Human Resources System), the national database for Red Cross volunteers.
- Have a current Health Status Record on file.
It is even better to:
- Have advanced training in a specific area and local disaster experience.
- Be trained in CPR and First Aid.
- Have specialized skills such as a second language.
- Be an authorized Red Cross driver.
- Register to be on a standby list
To learn more about classes needed to become a disaster volunteer, please contact the Disaster Services Human Resources Coordinator at clamurrop@arcla.org or call office: 310-445-2657.
Tags: deployment, gulf coast hurricanes
