Local Response

Introduction | In the meantime... | Take the initiative | DAT | CAT | Outlying Response | Commitment | Communication

Introduction. The ability to commit to respond on short notice to a local disaster is what distinguishes a local Disaster Responder from a Support Services volunteer. Both work in or around the chapter, but the Support Services volunteer has a (more or less) fixed schedule, while the Disaster Responder is able to commit to respond on short notice for a period of a few hours up to a period of up to several days, depending on the limitations imposed by the resopnder’s schedule and preferences.

This short term disaster response can be just as rewarding (and demanding) as the two to three week out-of-town commitment made by national responders. Residential fires, local floods, and search and rescue efforts, are just three examples of the kinds of local disasters that occupy the time and energy of the chapters local responders. DAT Teams respond to assist the victims of residential fires; all activities may respond to provide food and shelter to flood victims, CAT teams may be requested to provide support for search and rescue teams by providing food and drinks to the workers.

In the meantime... When not responding to a local disaster, local responders may also be interested in support the ongoing efforts to maintain readiness in all response activities. See the Support Services page for a listing of the kinds of help that can be provided on an ongoing basis. You can select an activity in which you are interested during (or after) your Local Operations interview with an Emergency Services representative.

Take the initiative. Whenever you do express interest in helping in a particular activity, it is important to take the initiative to assure that contact is made with that activity lead or other representative. Volunteering with the Red Cross is not as suited to those who are satisfied to wait for someone to tell them what to do. Your experience will be much more satisfying if you take responsibility for your Red Cross career and actively pursue contacts and training.

Disaster Action Teams are the first Red Cross representatives on the ground during a local disaster. They respond often at night or on weekends mostly to residential fires, although disasters may occur at any time. DAT’s generally have on-call shifts, and cover our seven-county jurisdiction. More information is available on the DAT page.

Canteen Action Teams. As part of our Mass Care Feeding Activity, Canteen Action Teams deploy to many events along with DAT’s. They too have on-call shifts, and provide beverages for hydration and snacks for disaster victims, emergency responders and anyone at the disaster scene. You can find out more information about CAT response on the CAT page.

Outlying Responders. Disasters occurring outside of the Portland metro area, such as along the coast or near Mt. Hood are handled by Outlying Area DAT and CAT Responders. Many of these volunteers are trained in both DAT and CAT procedures and can maintain operations until more resources arrive.

Commitment. Being a local responder requires a certain level of commitment on the part of the volunteer. When you choose to join a team as a Member in Training, your commitment is to be available during the specified time period. This can be more difficult than it first may appear. For example, during the week when your team is on call, if you have confirmed your availability that means you WILL resond if called. It does not mean you will respond only if you have not made other plans in the meantime. Clients and your team members are counting on you to be there to help.

Importance of good communication . Once a fire or other disaster occurs, each failed contact effort by the leader or coordinator extends the time it takes for the Red Cross to arrive on the scene. These delays can result in a loss of confidence by first responders (police and fire) and unacceptable delays in the delivery of services to victims. You can help control this response time by arranging your schedule with your Red Cross commitment in mind, and by communicating changes in the schedule to your leader or coordinator before the disaster occurs.

Local Response Assistance provided by:

WhenToHelp - Free Volunteer Scheduling
provided by WhenToWork.com Online Employee Scheduling