VolunteerResource.org
There are many great resources available—from Memorandums of Understanding to PowerPoint presentations. Just click here for a complete listing.

How to Start a Disaster Program:

1. Assess Your Readiness and Capacity.
Volunteer Centers vary in their readiness for response. An essential first step in developing a disaster response program is to conduct a careful evaluation of your Center’s capabilities and your community’s capacity to respond to an emergency. Your organization must have a solid internal response plan or Continuity of Operation Plan in order to be operational to respond to the needs of the community. That includes personal and family plans for you, your staff, and your Board.

• Check out the Ready to Respond Manual as a first step in starting your plan.

Ready to Respond

2. Get Ready to Be Involved.
Getting buy-in at all levels of your organization is essential if your disaster program is to be effective. Employees, board members, and other volunteers all have key roles to play in response, recovery, and planning.

• Designate a Disaster Coordinator/ Team
• Adopt a Board Resolution Committing the Volunteer Center to Disaster Response
• Get full staff support and understanding

Preventing A Disaster Within A Disaster

Managing Spontaneous Volunteers in Times of Disaster: The Synergy of Structure and Good Intentions

3. Join Your Community’s Disaster Response Team.
Begin an Inquiry into your community’s preparedness for disaster by finding out what the local or state emergency response plan entails and how it utilizes volunteers. Consider the most effective role for your Volunteer Center within the community plan. Many Volunteer Centers expand their traditional volunteer recruitment and referral role to assume a leadership position in coordinating a community’s unaffiliated volunteer response during a crisis and into recovery.

• Connect with your local Office of Emergency Management to discuss how the Volunteer Center can have a role in the Emergency Response Plan. Establish a formal relationship and consider creating a Memorandum of Understanding outlining your role in disaster.
• Connect with your American Red Cross chapter to determine ways to coordinate and collaborate.
• Join or start your local or state VOAD (Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster).
• Join or start your local Citizen Corps Council.

4. Enhance Your Capacity.

• Establish an Inventory of Professional, Corporate, Trade, and Community Volunteer Resources.  Work with organizations to affiliate volunteers to their disaster based programs prior to a disaster; Establish an account on HelpInDisaster.org; Establish Memorandums of Understanding with businesses, civic groups, and non-disaster nonprofits to supply volunteers in the event of an emergency.
• Work with Special Needs Community Leaders to be inclusive of needs as well as opportunities to serve.
• Establish a Cost Recovery Plan for Disaster-Related Expenses.
• Establish Mutual Aid Agreements with Neighboring Volunteer Centers.