Disaster preparedness and spontaneous volunteers

As spring approaches, it strategically becomes a time to consider plans if a disaster strikes. When disaster, whether natural or man-made, hits a community, specific emergency management and nonprofit organizations automatically respond according to a pre-established plan. Each of these designated organizations has a specific role to play in ensuring an effective response to and recovery from the disaster’s devastation. Yet one component within the system continues to create a challenge: spontaneous volunteers.

Spontaneous volunteers, our neighbors and ordinary citizens, often arrive on-site at a disaster ready to help. Because they are not associated with any part of the existing emergency management response system, their offers of help are often underutilized and might be problematic to professional responders. The conflict is clear: people are willing to volunteer, but can the system’s capacity to utilize them effectively work efficiently?

Black Hawk County has an established Community Organizations Active in Disasters (COAD) organization that is prepared to engage at time of disaster. One component of this organization is figuring out how to best manage and utilize spontaneous volunteers while activating the Volunteer Center of Cedar Valley’s Volunteer Reception Center (VRC). The management of spontaneous volunteers in times of emergency is guided by the following principles and values:

1. Volunteering and Community Life

Volunteering is a valuable part of every healthy community. Volunteers come from all segments of society and often provide essential services. Everyone has the potential to contribute strength and resources in times of emergency. Those interested in being ready for future disasters in the Cedar Valley should look to Black Hawk County’s COAD organization.

2. The Value of Affiliation

Ideally, all volunteers should be affiliated with an established organization and trained for specific disaster response activities. Plan to attend an annual VRC training to learn more about your role in disaster preparedness and management.

3. Volunteer Involvement in the Four Phases

There are valuable and appropriate roles for spontaneous volunteers in mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery.

4. Management Systems

Volunteers are a valuable resource when they are trained, assigned, and supervised within established a Volunteer Reception Center. Similar to donations management, an essential element of every emergency management plan is the clear designation of responsibility for the on-site coordination of spontaneous volunteers. A VRC is the mechanism for ensuring the effective utilization of this human resource.

5. Shared Responsibility

The mobilization, management, and support of volunteers is primarily a responsibility of local government and nonprofit sector agencies, with support from the state level. In our community this is the Black Hawk County COAD.

6. Volunteer Expectations

Volunteers are successful participants in emergency management systems when they are flexible, self-sufficient, aware of risks, trained, and willing to be coordinated by local experts.

7. The Impact on Volunteers

The priority of volunteer activity is assistance to others. When this spontaneous activity is well managed, it also positively affects the volunteers themselves and thus contributes to the healing process of both individuals and the larger community.

Contact the Volunteer Center of Cedar Valley to express interest in participating in plans for future disaster management or to secure additional volunteer opportunities at information@vccv.org or 319-272-2087. The Volunteer Center of Cedar Valley offers over 190 local volunteer opportunities from 112 nonprofit agencies. Volunteer opportunities may also be accessed at www.vccv.org.