National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (NVOAD)
National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (NVOAD) member list
Resources
Pay it Forward
In the January 2009 flood, the small town of South Prairie in east Pierce County was inundated by mud. A local high school initiated an MLK Day service project for its students. Coordinating efforts with the mayor, nearly 75 kids showed up to be a ‘mud brigade,’ shoveling mud out of critically needed roadways, buildings,… Read more
Florida Division of Emergency Management
This application guide contains the forms and necessary information required for submission of the 2015 /CERT Program Subgrant from the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS): Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Program. The Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2015, includes provisions for providing funding assistance to… Read more
FEMA Donated Resources
I. TITLE: Donated Resources II. DATE OF ISSUANCE: February 26, 2014 III. PURPOSE: Establish the criteria by which applicants will be credited for volunteer labor, donated equipment, and donated materials used in the performance of eligible emergency work – Categories A and B. IV. SCOPE AND EXTERNAL AUDIENCE: This policy is applicable to all major… Read more
Volunteer Louisiana
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… Read more
Experience Gained: Planning for Volunteers
Volunteers are often a valuable resource following a disaster, but only if managed properly. To avoid a potentially chaotic volunteer situation during or after a disaster, localities should factor volunteer engagement into their disaster planning process. Localities can start by identifying which localities and volunteers are available to help in a disaster event. This process… Read more
Experience Gained: Volunteer Communication
Volunteers are one of the most versatile and cost-effective resources in disaster response and recovery, however they come with a big caveat – when not managed properly, they can escalate an already dangerous and chaotic situation by overwhelming first-responders and putting themselves and others in danger. Public information officers can play an important role in helping… Read more
Experience Gained: Volunteer Coordination – a Centralized Approach to Managing Volunteers
Taking a centralized approach to managing volunteers can help localities maximize the potential of volunteers and leverage the efforts of enthusiastic community members. IBTS subject matter experts and community emergency management professionals share their experiences and lessons learned in how to centralize volunteers. The Volunteer Reception Center (VRC) is a designated location used to connect… Read more
Experience Gained: Volunteer Credentialing Process
Volunteers are one of the most versatile and cost-effective resources in disaster response and recovery, however they come with a big caveat – when not managed properly, they can escalate an already dangerous and chaotic situation by overwhelming first-responders and putting themselves and others in danger. Public safety officials can relieve some of the resulting… Read more
Best Practices: Volunteer Credentialing
Volunteer credentialing is a required component of utilizing volunteers in any disaster scenario for all localities, even at the most basic level. An effective credentialing system allows management to triage and use volunteers properly during response and recovery from a disaster. Yet this process starts well before a disaster hits. Engaging volunteers throughout preparation and planning… Read more