how can i go and volunteer for a natural disaster?
May 20, 2010
in
Disaster
i’ve been seeing oil spills, major earth quakes, and even floods. i was seeing that there are a bunch of volunteers going over and what not but i want to know how i can do that myself. any tips?
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One comment
Jayne says READ MORE BOOKS on May 20, 2010 at 3:16 pm
The volunteers you are seeing going to disaster sites started training months, even years, ago. So to be ready for the next disaster, you need to start training now. The American Red Cross has classes, some of them specifically on responding to a disaster. Start training NOW so you can be in a position in the future to help. See the first URL below.
http://www.coyotecommunications.com/volunteer/vols_in_disasters.html
In the Gulf, please be aware that what’s needed most are SKILLED volunteers, particularly those who have training and certification in handling wildlife, particularly birds and marshland animals, as well as people who have verifiable skills in managing logistics or people during emergency situations.
If you don’t have the skills and training needed to work with wildlife, you might be able to help to support the volunteers who will be handling wildlife (by serving and preparing other volunteers, for instance). If you are an unskilled volunteer, please be aware that, if you are accepted as a volunteer, you will be required to provide your own transportation, pay for and coordinate your accommodations while in the area, pay for and coordinate your own meals, and take care of any other needs you might have yourself. In other words, you need to be prepared to be completely self-funded and self sustaining.
The Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana is acting as a volunteer clearinghouse to identify volunteers with any specialized skills, and is coordinating its efforts with the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, coastal parish governments and the Coast Guard. Anyone interested in helping can fill out the volunteer form accessible at the second URL below.