“When Disaster Strikes, They Will Come.” Establishing and Operating an Emergency Volunteer Center A Training Session for Santa Barbara County —Calvary

“When Disaster Strikes, They Will Come.”

Establishing and Operating an Emergency Volunteer Center

A Training Session for Santa Barbara County

—Calvary Chapel—

Planning for Spontaneous Volunteers

Disasters will happen!

They Will Come.... Lessons Learned

9/11– More than 60,000 volunteers descended on WTC.

– Volunteer management became national security issue because WTC was a crime scene.

– Volunteering important for psychological recovery of individuals and communities.

Hurricane Katrina– Unprecedented need for spontaneous volunteers.

– First time American Red Cross did a “call-out” for spontaneous volunteers (over 40,000 needed).

– Tremendous impact and response around the country.

– Even 2,500 miles away, California provided support to relief efforts and to evacuees who came from the Gulf Coast.

Types of Volunteers

Pre-trained Affiliated Volunteers– Volunteers who train for a specific role or function prior

to a disaster– Examples are Amateur Radio Operators, Search and

Rescue, CERT

Spontaneous Unaffiliated Volunteers– People with no previous training who come forward to

help after a disaster– Also known as convergent, emergent, and walk-in

volunteersAn Emergency Volunteer Center

coordinates the flow of spontaneous volunteers

Why We Need Emergency Volunteer Centers

• To direct the outpouring of human resources to where it is most needed as quickly as possible.

• To create order out of potential chaos.

• To give people an opportunity to be involved in the recovery of their own community.

Key Players

Santa Barbara County VOAD American Red Cross County Office of Emergency Services

City Emergency Managers

CERT (Community Emergency Response Teams)

www.volunteersbc.org

VolunteersRespondingto Incident

SpontaneousUnaffiliatedVolunteers

Pre-TrainedAffiliated

Volunteers

CERTAmateur

RadioOperators

MedicalReserveCorps

Volunteer Response

INCIDENT COMMAND SYSTEM

Management

PLANNING

LOGISTI CS OPERATIONS FINANCE

Facilities

Purchasing

Personnel

Spontaneous Volunteers

Government Staff

Where Volunteers Fit in Incident Command System

Activation Levels

• Levels of Activation for EVCs– Local (city)

• For catastrophic event• For smaller local event

– Countywide (operational area)• Multiple areas of county are affected• E.g., flooding, earthquake

• Thresholds for each level to be determined

Establishing & Operating an EVC

What Can Spontaneous Volunteers Do?

• Debris Removal• Sand-bagging• Sorting food, clothing, and other donations• Answering phones• Office Assistance – clerical data entry, filing• Direct Client Services – food, shelter, comfort• Interviewing/Customer Service• Translation Services• Crowd Control

Establishing the EVC

• The EVC is a centralized clearinghouse that brings together community needs and people who want to help.

• Through the EVC, each prospective volunteer is referred, based on his or her qualifications and availability, to an appropriate volunteer opportunity.

• The request to activate the EVC will come from the VOAD Liaison in the County EOC.

Opening Procedures1. Identify facility/location.

2. Locate supply kit or collect supplies.

3. Determine EVC staffing needs.

4. Plan layout and set up space.

5. Establish hours of operation.

6. Arrange for security if needed.

7. Plan food and water for staff.

8. Establish communications with local EOC.


Staffing the EVC– Who will staff initially?– What qualifications will they need?– Where will you get extra staff if needed?– Identify staffing resources and pre-train staff to

establish and operate EVCs.– Pre-designate EVC Manager(s).



Seven Essential Staff Positions

Train at least two staff members for each position to ensure continuous operations.

• Oversees all functions of the EVC.• Manages set-up, operations, and

demobilization.• Assigns and supervises lead EVC staff.

– Rotates staff as necessary to reduce stress.• Requests staffing and other needed resources

from jurisdictions through VOAD Liaison.• Closely monitors operations and changes

them as needed.• Handles press inquiries in coordination with VOAD.


Manager

Manager

Receptionist

Volunteer Processing

• Greets potential volunteers.

• Distributes Volunteer Intake Forms to volunteers.

• Answers public’s questions and reports concerns.

• Often serves as an informal information and referral desk.

Receptionist

Collects volunteer contact information.

Asks availability and geographic preference.

Volunteers indicate their disaster, office, people, and manual skills.

Receptionist

Volunteer Intake/Referral Form


Volunteer Intake/Referral Form distributed by Receptionist

Volunteer Intake/Referral Form distributed by Receptionist


• Discusses Intake/Referral Form with Volunteer, following the Interview Guide.

• Reviews Volunteer Opportunities Board and matches Volunteer to appropriate opportunity.

Interviewer

Interviewer

After completing the Intake/Referral Form, the Volunteer meets with an Interviewer.

• If match is made:• Records assignment on Intake/Referral Form.• Gives yellow copy to volunteer and white copy

to Data Coordinator.• Gives volunteer directions to assignment and

any final logistical support.• If match is with a government agency, directs volunteer to

Disaster Service Worker Registration Desk.


• Discusses Intake/Referral Form with Volunteer, following the Interview Guide.

• Reviews Volunteer Opportunities Board and matches Volunteer to appropriate opportunity.

Interviewer

Interviewer• If no match is made:

• Thanks Volunteer.• Explains that the Volunteer will be contacted as

soon as an appropriate opportunity is available.

What type of volunteer work would you like to do?

What skills do you have which may be useful as a disaster volunteer?

Are you under 18?

Evaluate volunteer’s suitability for work.

Interviewer

Volunteer Interview Guide

Volunteer Interview Guide used by

Receptionist

Volunteer Interview Guide used by

Receptionist


DSWRegistrar


• Instructs volunteer to complete Disaster Service Worker Form.

• Reviews the DSW Form is to make sure it is accurate and complete.• Ensures the Volunteer completes any additional government

requirements, such as a background check.• Directs Volunteer to government agent for swearing in.

DSW RegistrarIf matched with government agency, the Volunteer brings his or her Intake/Referral Form to the Disaster Service Worker Registrar.

Only distributed if filling a specific government volunteer request.

Collects registration information.

Agreement that assignment is strictly volunteer and not for compensation.

Registrar

Disaster Service Worker Form

Disaster Service Worker Form distributed by

DSW Registrar

Disaster Service Worker Form distributed by

DSW Registrar


• Identifies needs for volunteers from VOAD organizations and government agencies.

• Records requests for volunteer positions on Disaster Volunteer Request Form.

• Transfers request information to Volunteer Opportunities Board.

• Works with Interviewers to fill requests.

• Maintains communication with organizations regarding status of requests.

• Recruits for special skills as needed.

Volunteer OpportunitiesVolunteer OpportunitiesCoordinatorCoordinator

Volunteer Opportunities Coordinator

Information Processing

Job Categories• Animal Rescue Care

& Shelter• Communications• CERT• Finance & Admin• Human Services• Laborer• Law Enforcement• Logistics• Medical & Health• Safety Assessment

Job Site Information• Contact Information• Time needed• Special instructions



Volunteer Request Form

Volunteer Request Form completed by


Volunteer Request Form completed by



Volunteer Opportunities Board


Volunteer Opportunities Board maintained by


Volunteer Opportunities Board maintained by


• Collects forms from Registrar.

• Tracks number of volunteers referred.

• Enters data in EVC Volunteer Spreadsheet.

• Reports to Volunteer Opportunities Coordinator when a request for volunteers has been filled.

• Prepares a daily report on volunteer assignments.

Data Coordinator

DataDataCoordinatorCoordinator


Vol. Data Coordinator

EVC Volunteer Spreadsheet maintained by

Volunteer Data Coordinator

EVC Volunteer Spreadsheet maintained by

Volunteer Data Coordinator



• Sets up and manages communication systems (phone, fax, internet, ham radio, satellite phone, runners, etc.).

• Manages incoming and outgoing communications to and from EOC and other agencies.

• Establishes and manages tracking process for communications.

CommunicationsCoordinator

Communications Coordinator

Overview

.

Manager works with staff to set up Emergency Volunteer Center and ensure operations run smoothly.

Overview

.

Receptionist greets volunteers and distributes Volunteer Intake Forms.

Overview

.

Interviewer matches volunteers to appropriate opportunity, reviews any needed directions, and gives white copies of Volunteer Intake Form to Data Coordinator.

Overview

.

DSW Registrar reviews volunteer’s DSW form, ensures additional government requirements are met, and refers volunteer to government agent for swearing in (for government assignments only).

Overview

.

Volunteer Opportunities Coordinator gathers requests for volunteers from agencies and works with Interviewers fill requests.

Overview

.

Data Coordinator tracks and reports all data about volunteers, requests, and assignments.

Overview

.

Communications Coordinator sets up communication systems and manages communications to and from EOC and other agencies.

Are You Ready for the Exercise?

Purpose: to practice setting up and managing an Emergency Volunteer Center

Structure:• Each person will be assigned both a staff and

a volunteer role to play in the exercise. • Staff/volunteer roles will switch after 25

minutes.• You will be given group instructions and role

assignments.

Exercise

Scenario

Scenario: a 7.2 magnitude earthquake has occurred on the San Andreas fault in southern Santa Barbara County.

• It is now 48 hours after the earthquake.

• The American Red Cross has opened five shelters currently housing 1450 people and is preparing to open two more.

• Volunteers are congregating at city halls, fire departments and the American Red Cross, asking when and how they could help.

• VOAD has requested activation of the EVC at Cavalry Chapel.

• The EVC will be open for business approximately 15 minutes from now.

Eric Dahl, Coordinator

Santa Barbara County VOAD2707 State Street

Santa Barbara, CA 93105

[email protected]

805-679-6675

Contact Information

Documents

“When Disaster Strikes, They Will Come.” Establishing and Operating an Emergency Volunteer Center A Training Session for Santa Barbara County —Calvary