When a disaster strikes, many of us watch news reports and wonder how we can help. Many times, the best thing we know to do is give money, and oftentimes, money is the best thing to give. For relief groups, monetary donations can be applied to specific needs such as food, medicine, or supplies. (If you do donate money, make sure the organization is reputable by doing a search on www.charitywatch.org or www.charitynavigator.org first.)
But, when a disaster strikes closer to home, many people want to do more. Volunteers play a crucial role in assisting first responders and helping with short and long-term recovery efforts. In the aftermath of an emergency, there are two types of volunteers that provide services: spontaneous volunteers and affiliated volunteers. Spontaneous volunteers are those who think, “I’m not part of a group, but I really want to help out.” They show up ready and willing to serve, though they do not have a pre-defined role. Meanwhile, affiliated volunteers have received advanced training on a specific function and are part of a nonprofit organization or governmental agency.
One great way to be an effective volunteer is to become affiliated with one of the nonprofit organizations or governmental entities that are active in times of emergencies. In Arlington, there are a number of groups within the Arlington County Citizen Corps that community members can join to get more involved and to receive training on a specific function:
- Volunteer Emergency Support Team (VEST): help manage spontaneous volunteers and help run the Volunteer Reception Center
- Arlington County Community Emergency Response Team: respond to needs at the neighborhood level
- Arlington County Medical Reserve Corps: help during large-scale public health emergencies and with ongoing public health needs
- Pet Corps: help the Animal Welfare League of Arlington shelter pets during emergencies
- Arlington County Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES): provide auxiliary communication services to county during incidents and planned events
Even if you are not interested in joining a more formal team of volunteers, know that your role as a spontaneous volunteer is extremely valuable. Spontaneous volunteers help fill in gaps and ensure that responders are working at full capacity. They can also help with administrative tasks, answering phone calls, or transporting supplies.
As a spontaneous volunteer, perhaps the most important three words to remember are “Volunteer Reception Center” (VRC). In the aftermath of a disaster, communities establish VRCs to help managed spontaneous and affiliated volunteers from a single location. Think of the VRC as a staging area where everyone shows up to learn his or her role and is then given a specific responsibility to carry out. To locate a VRC, you can visit the Virginia Department of Emergency Management, call 2-1-1, or listen to local news reports.
As a volunteer – whether spontaneous or affiliated - it also helps to have a lot of patience and a willingness to go with the flow. Even with hours of training and advance preparation, emergencies are inherently stressful. Going in with an open-mind and adapting with changing circumstances will help you tackle any tasks thrown your way.
To learn more about disaster relief volunteering, check out these resources:
- American Red Cross of the National Capital Region
- FEMA Emergency Management Institute
- Hands On Network
- Salvation Army – National Capital Command Area
- Virginia Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD)
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