Opportunities for Service: Both locally and nationally

LOCAL DISASTER ACTION TEAMS

Supporting your community through Red Cross disaster work. DAT work is exciting and rewarding. Our local Disaster Action Teams (DAT), are committed to:

1. Respond and meet the emergency needs of individuals and families who have been affected by a disaster that impacts a single family or small group of families living in a single building or complex.
2. Initiate response to larger disaster incidents and report initial Disaster Assessment.

The most common type of disaster to which DAT’s respond is residential fires. While large scale disasters such as tornadoes or hurricanes receive widespread media coverage, the disasters affecting one family or a few families receive much less media attention. For the individual or family, whose home is destroyed by fire, the effect is the same as for the family whose home is destroyed by a hurricane and we are committed to meeting their disaster caused needs We hope you will join our team. Disaster training is offered at various dates and locations throughout the 13 county SDA. In addition, some disaster classes may be taken as online self-study courses. For more information please call (231) 947-7286

National Disaster Team (Disaster Services Human Resource System)

The Disaster Services Human Resources (DSHR) System is designed to provide a world-class workplace that is a compelling and rewarding place to be and to continuously cultivate a world-class, nationwide workforce of employees and volunteers to provide unparalleled, passionate and responsive disaster services. The DSHR System enables the American Red Cross to provide prompt and efficient disaster relief services to the American people. It is an integrated and consistent approach to managing the workforce over the long term using a common set of competencies that are linked to business strategies and results. The national Disaster Team responds to large scale disasters.

Become a Service To Armed Forces Caseworker:

Wherever members of the Armed Forces serve our country, the American Red Cross stands beside them 24 hours a day, every day of the year. Our volunteer military case workers provide a free, vital, around-the-clock, around the world, emergency communication link between the men and women in the military and their families here at home.

The responsibilities for providing this service are mandated by Congress. In fact, the American Red Cross is the only agency recognized by the Department of Defense to verify facts of any emergency involving members of the Armed forces and their families.

In conjunction with the International Red Cross Movement, the American Red Cross traces and locates people separated from their relative due to war or civil conflict in all areas of the world. In Roscommon County these services are carried out without delay by trained volunteers. The volunteers are trained and have direct contact with American Red Cross staff, which in turn, assists in providing a communication link.

All disaster volunteers should take three courses before enrolling for any other disaster classes:

1. New Employee-Volunteer Orientation is available as on online course and can be accessed by going to www.redcross.org click on Jobs and then click on American Red Cross Culture and begin the orientation.
2. The second course you should take is Introduction to Disaster Services, a 45-minute self-study course that is available online.  Click on this link to take Introduction to Disaster Services.
3. The final prerequisite for all other disaster courses is Fulfilling Our Mission, a 3-hour instructor-led course that is offered at each mini-institute and at various times during the year. To register for this course, call the office for more info at: (231) 947-7286 or view our online course schedule.