Volunteerism after a disaster requires a massive effort within a community. Unfortunately without an organized response, response efforts may be hindered. Volunteer fire and rescue personnel are out there on a daily basis doing what they do best. In the event of a disaster, they are extremely busy responding to the fire hazards and the injured. However there are many other places where volunteers are needed in emergency events. Volunteers are the heart of any response, at any level. As simple as it seems, the talents that allow you to succeed in every-day life can be what you do as a volunteer.
Opportunities to Volunteer include:
- Nebraska Citizen Corps Council
- Staff at a Disaster Volunteer Resource Center
- Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)
- Nebraska Medical Reserve Corps
- Volunteers in Police Service
- Fire Corps
- Neighborhood Watch
For more information on these opportunities and ways to volunteer, please contact Region 44 Emergency Management.
Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)
CERTs are formed by members of a neighborhood or workplace who want to be better prepared for the hazards that threaten their communities. The CERT Program educates people about disaster preparedness for hazards that may impact their area and trains them in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations. Using the training learned in the classroom and during exercises, CERT members can assist others in their neighborhood or workplace following an event when professional responders are not immediately available to help. CERT members also are encouraged to support emergency response agencies by taking a more active role in emergency preparedness projects in their community.
Nebraska Medical Reserve Corps
The need for trained supplemental medical and public health personnel to assist with emergency operations was highlighted after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Many medical and public health professionals sought to support emergency relief efforts, but there was no organized approach to channel their efforts. The MRC program provides the structure necessary to deploy medical and public health personnel in response to an emergency, as it identifies specific, trained, credentialed personnel available and ready to respond to emergencies.
