Managing volunteers in times of disaster

Article icon

Abstract

Managing large numbers of spontaneous volunteers in the wake of an emergency is best accomplished with intensive planning and preparation before disaster strikes. This effective practice offers tips on managing volunteers before, during and after an emergency or disaster situation. These materials are excerpted from discussions held at forums, seminars and conferences on volunteerism attended by staff at the Points of Light Foundation and collected in the newsletter, To the Point, (July/August 2002) published by the Points of Light Foundation, Washington D.C.

Back to top

Issue

Volunteers make a positive difference in times of emergency and disaster. But according to the Points of Light Foundation, volunteer managers and emergency responders find that managing large numbers of unaffiliated volunteers who arrive at disaster sites presents both a boon and challenge to aid efforts.

Back to top

Action

As reported in the Points of Light Foundation's To the Point (July/August 2002) newsletter, effective practices for managing volunteers before, during and after a disaster include:
  • Answer the questions: "How should volunteers get involved?" and "How should volunteers NOT get involved?" before disaster strikes.
  • Divert spontaneous volunteers away from the disaster scene to more appropriate roles.
  • Ensure as few volunteers as possible are unaffiliated with the recognized emergency response volunteer programs.
  • Decide what phases of disaster response volunteers with your program are most suited to help. Disaster planning involves planning for preparation, prevention, response, and recovery. Decide if your volunteers are best suited to deal with the immediate, intermediate, or long-term impact of disasters. For example:
    • Helping unaffiliated volunteers know who to call to find out where and how they are needed when disaster strikes is extremely important. Make sure your volunteers have access to list servs, email lists, and others who can spread a message before, during, and after disaster strikes.
    • Can your volunteers help someone deal with eviction notices? On-going mental health issues? Some communities have created Human Services Coalitions whose role is to help with the long-term needs that arise after a disaster.
    • Some communities have formed interfaith or multi-cultural councils to help ease tensions. Decide if this is something your volunteers could participate in.
    • Long-term impacts of disaster may require volunteers to adapt to changing needs of survivors.
  • Make sure your program has its own emergency preparedness plan on how to keep delivering services and what roles staff and volunteers play during a disaster.
  • See a sample emergency preparedness plan at http://web.mit.edu/security/www/pubplan.htm.
  • Questions to consider when developing an emergency preparedness plan include:
    • Can the program be run from someone's home or another building off site?
    • Is there an offsite backup for the program's database?
    • Do volunteers and staff know how to contact each other in an emergency?
  • Find out who has been designated the central clearinghouse for collecting and assigning volunteer positions in times of disaster. Often, local Volunteer Centers are designated as the central clearinghouse. Contact 1-800-VOLUNTEER (865-8683) to find your Volunteer Center.
  • Encourage volunteers to contact the designated clearinghouse during times of disaster for information on volunteer opportunities. Then make sure your agency is listed with the clearinghouse as a source of volunteers or as an agency that can offer additional help.
  • Make sure your central disaster volunteer coordinating agency knows what your program does and what specialized services or skills your volunteers could provide in the event of a disaster. For example:
    • Literacy program volunteers could help victims fill out forms.
    • Community clubs or churches could loan their facilities for emergency shelters.
  • Provide clients with contact information for the central coordinating agency so that they can find their way to your program.
  • Brainstorm ways to help clients in times of need.
  • Communicate your program's emergency plan to volunteers, staff, clients and vendors. Some ways to do this include:
    • Share information about the emergency plan at a staff and volunteer retreat.
    • Keep a hard copy of the plan in a central location in your agency's office.
    • Create a simple flyer of the plan to be handed out to all new and current volunteers, staff, clients, and vendors. Refer volunteers to the plan during volunteer orientations.
  • Prepare a list of referrals to mental health counseling services in the event that volunteers and staff become stressed by what they see and experience while volunteering.
  • Prepare your volunteers today by:
    • Encouraging them to participate in the USA initiative http://www.pointsoflight.org/ or by calling 1-800-VOLUNTEER (865-8683).
    • Joining a neighborhood Watch Program or other programs affiliated with Citizen Corps.
    • Keeping themselves safe. Volunteers who have their immediate needs planned for are better able to serve others. Download or ask for the FEMA publication, A Guide to Citizen Preparedness (Online at http://www.fema.gov/areyouready/.)
    • Becoming certified in CPR and First Aid. Locate your local Red Cross in the phone book or on the web at http://www.redcross.org/home/

    Back to top

    Context

    According to senior leadership and operations experts from the volunteer and emergency management communities, planning for the use of volunteers in disaster situations has to happen both within individual volunteer programs and across all sectors of a community's emergency response system. Volunteer managers must also be prepared to deal with the "culture of uncertainty" that will always be there and needs to be taken into account when planning for and helping in times of disaster.

    Back to top

    Outcome

    Effectively managing volunteers during emergency or disaster periods leads to greater likelihood of effective service to people who need help the most.

    Back to top

    Posted On

    August 23, 2002

    Back to top

    For More Information

    Farah Arosemena
    Points of Light Foundation
    Information Services Manager Non-profit/Government
    1400 "I" Street, NW Suite 800
    Washington, DC 2005
    Phone: (202) 729-6169

    Kelley Vickery
    Points of Light Foundation
    Manager, Disaster Response and Volunteer Connection Partnerships
    1400 "I" Street, NW Suite 800
    Washington, DC 2005
    Phone: (202) 729-8124

    Back to top

    Related Practices

    Back to top

    Related sites

    Freedom Corps

    Topic Areas

    Back to top