Red Cross Volunteers
Become a Red Cross Volunteer Now.
Go thru training and then be available when you are needed. It is difficult to accept a new volunteer at the time of the disaster without prior training or credentials.
DAT - Disaster Action Teams are called by the first responders to provide immediate assistance to the victims. Also used to assess the extent of the damage. You warm them up, provide liquids, food, shelter, clothing and administer to their special needs.
Shelter Teams - are called in to help set up a shelter. A 24 hour shelter might provide tables and chairs, some liquids, and maybe a meal or two. A 72 hour shelter would also provide sleeping cots and blankets, some children activities, and additional support to the clients staying at the shelter.
Feeding Teams - provide the meals, snacks, refreshments during the time that a shelter is open.
Assessment Teams - provide assessment or status of the large disasters. They will report on intial appearance of the community, will group areas with similar types of damage, and then at the street level perform house by house reporting. Sometimes the assessment teams will provide pre disaster planning for the community to make it easier to respond to a future disaster.
There are areas for volunteers that have professional medical training, psychological training, people that work with the media, logistics and warehouse operations, forklift and truck drivers, and technical skills in computers, networks, and communications.
They will work around any physical limitations you may have. If you are a caring person, they want to talk to you.
Call 888-831-0031 for the Riverside Chapter of the American Red Cross, or www.riversidecounty.redcross.org