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Introduction

The catastrophic disasters caused by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita created a living laboratory for distilling “best practices” in using volunteers for disaster relief. This manual presents a basic overview of existing literature on the subject, as well as case studies and the on-the-ground experience of organizations working in the Greater New Orleans Area after the 2005 hurricanes (including work done during the 2008 hurricane season). The manual seeks to:

• provide basic information on using volunteers in disaster relief
• reach and prepare organizations that have not yet planned on using volunteers in disaster relief
• present collaborative strategies for community disaster response
• define organizational structures required to effectively use volunteers
• increase the knowledge base of organizations already using volunteers
• highlight successful strategies and lessons learned by organizations responding to the 2005 hurricanes
• provide insight into how to manage the experience of volunteers, from recruitment to celebration.

This is a preparedness manual. Though it addresses post-disaster strategies, the environment after a disaster is too hectic for organizations to implement strategies without extensive preparation. Readers need to absorb the entire manual rather than parts. Taken as a whole, the manual is a guide to understanding the processes of specific disasters and the ultimate aims of preparedness.

Disaster Related Volunteerism: Best Practices Manual Based on Lessons Learned from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita