Needs From: United Way of the Lakeshore

Purpose

To participate in all DAT program support and capacity building activities necessary to ensure effective service delivery during a DAT response.  

Key Responsibilities

Disaster Action Teams provide 24-hour emergency response to local disasters, particularly house fires, ensuring that those affected have access to resources for basic necessities such as food, shelter and clothing. 

This position is responsible for the tasks involved in the Disaster Action Team program including:

Supporting the annual goals, RDO objectives, and regional/chapter plan for DAT services through participation in meetings, projects, and local response activities. Completes all required training and maintains current training standard as DAT program requirements change. Attends regular team meetings and training as required by the region/territory. Completes assigned projects and local response activities according to the needs of the DAT program. (Preparing vehicles, response materials, administrative support of the DAT program and other tasks assigned by the DAT Leader. Qualifications

Ability to:

Follow and execute requests received from supervisor with little or no supervision. Adapt to change, negotiate compromise and tolerate ambiguity. Build effective relationships with others who can help with work-related goals. 

Team member may work towards the DAT Service Associate response position. Training

Current training requirements are contained in the Training and System Requirements for Disaster Action Team Members Job Tool

Relationships

Works closely with all other DAT Members to ensure team goals are achieved. 

Development Opportunities

With additional training there are opportunities for individual and leadership development to serve as:

DAT Service Associate on a DAT response. DAT Team Leader in support of the DAT preparedness. DAT Supervisor on a DAT response.

Additional training is available across all service lines to orient volunteer to additional activities and opportunities within the Red Cross.

Blood Donor Ambassador: Mason and Oceana Counties

Ready to make an impact? We need friendly and enthusiastic people just like you who can represent the Red Cross to our blood donors.

As a volunteer blood donor ambassador, you'll ensure donors have a positive experience from the moment they arrive to the moment they leave. Your professionalism and kindness during the blood drive will encourage ongoing donor support.

This role is for you if you…

· Love talking to all kinds of people!

· Demonstrate excellent customer service and comfort working with people.

· You have availability to serve for one 4-6 hour shift per month.

*shifts may vary on quarterly needs depending on your location*

Each volunteer shift, you make a difference and help save a life.

This opportunity requires participation in in-person activities and/or performing work in a Red Cross facility.

Key responsibilities –

Overview of Mobile Blood Drives

· Usually hosted at a community or sponsor-owned location

· Blood collection procedures are whole blood and red cell (no platelets or plasma)

· ‘Mobile’ blood drives change almost every day—with the need to setup and takedown each blood drive, they tend to be faster paced, in a variety of sites, with different donors, sponsors, team members, and chargeperson each drive

· Often requires careful maintenance of donor flow and wait times (typically more donors on the schedule)

· Events confirmed about 6 weeks in advance

Overview of Fixed Sites

· Usually hosted at a community or sponsor-owned location

· Blood collection procedures are whole blood and red cell (no platelets or plasma)

· Staff and equipment tend to be ‘ready to go’ in the same site each day--with fewer donors participating on a frequent basis in longer term procedures (some procedures take as long as 2-2.5 hours per donor) at a Red Cross donor center.

· Similar or same: list of donors, team members and charge people from week to week creates sense of team

· Regular donors become familiar with check-in process, materials and site

· Schedule rarely changes, available several months in advance, a weekly shift ‘adoption’ is highly encouraged. For example – one shift every Tuesday morning or afternoon

All Donor Ambassador roles (Mobile Blood Drives and Fixed Sites)

· Support Red Cross staff by being helpful, flexible, and patient

· Greet donors, explain the donation process as necessary and assist with initial intake and hand offs through the blood donation process

· Manage donor flow and direct donors to Check-In

· Model excellent customer service behaviors.

· Ensure blood donors have relevant information and that questions are answered appropriately while creating a favorable impression of the blood donation process.

· Learn and share the Red Cross story, including the mission, vision, and values

· Work with collections team supervisor or charge staff to match donor’s blood type with the best product for maximum impact (Right Type Mix)

· Check Post Donation Info and time

· Set up and maintain cleanliness in Reception and Hospitality Areas

· Provide customer service to donors in the Hospitality Area by ensuring that each donor is recognized for his/her contribution.

· Check that donor has their post-donation information before leaving the drive

· Report possible adverse post-donation physical reactions to the collections staff. Protect donors from injury during adverse reactions (if able without hurting self)

· May be asked to sanitize/disinfect donor areas and beds

· May make reminder/cancellation calls, re-schedule donor appointments, and perform follow up activities as directed

· Encourage donors to download Donor App, use RapidPass

Put Your Professional Credentials to Work on a Red Cross Disaster Health Services or Disaster Mental Health Team

During large disasters, you can use your professional skills as a licensed healthcare provider to deliver hands-on care and education to disaster-affected clients. The work setting is generally in emergency shelters or on outreach teams in the community. (Keep in mind, you could be assigned to another work location once you arrive on scene depending on the needs of the operation.)

Learn more here - https://www.redcross.org/volunteer/volunteer-opportunities/disaster-health-mental-health-volunteer.html

Requirements

Disaster Health: Current, active, and unencumbered licensure or certification for the healthcare professions, including RN, LPN, LVN, EMT, Paramedic, MD, DO, PA, NP, APRN. View eligibility requirements for healthcare professionals

Disaster Mental Health: Currently licensed or recently retired mental health professionals, current school psychologists and school counselors, and current psychiatric nurses. View complete eligibility requirements for mental health professionals

Shift commitment

If you are local to the disaster: multiple shifts (4-12 hours each) or

If you will need to travel: 10-14 consecutive days of 8-12 hour shifts (Travel, lodging and meals are provided for deployed workers.)

Comfortable interacting with people from diverse background whose lives have been disrupted

Ability to work in a continuously changing environment in which work priorities may change frequently

Ability to follow safety protocols and directions consistently and thoroughly

Put Your Professional Credentials to Work on a Red Cross Disaster Health Services or Disaster Mental Health Team

During large disasters, you can use your professional skills as a licensed healthcare provider to deliver hands-on care and education to disaster-affected clients. The work setting is generally in emergency shelters or on outreach teams in the community. (Keep in mind, you could be assigned to another work location once you arrive on scene depending on the needs of the operation.)

Learn more here - https://www.redcross.org/volunteer/volunteer-opportunities/disaster-health-mental-health-volunteer.html

Requirements

Disaster Health: Current, active, and unencumbered licensure or certification for the healthcare professions, including RN, LPN, LVN, EMT, Paramedic, MD, DO, PA, NP, APRN. View eligibility requirements for healthcare professionals

Disaster Mental Health: Currently licensed or recently retired mental health professionals, current school psychologists and school counselors, and current psychiatric nurses. View complete eligibility requirements for mental health professionals

Shift commitment

If you are local to the disaster: multiple shifts (4-12 hours each) or

If you will need to travel: 10-14 consecutive days of 8-12 hour shifts (Travel, lodging and meals are provided for deployed workers.)

Comfortable interacting with people from diverse background whose lives have been disrupted

Ability to work in a continuously changing environment in which work priorities may change frequently

Ability to follow safety protocols and directions consistently and thoroughly

Purpose

How does it feel to help save a life? This is your chance to find out! If you have a little free time, love driving, and enjoy meeting new people, the Red Cross has a great volunteer position for you.

The Red Cross collects and distributes about 40% of our nation’s blood supply. When you deliver blood, platelets or other blood products to a hospital, you’re delivering hope to a person when they need it most.

Each volunteer shift you take is another opportunity to help save a life.

Volunteer drivers use Red Cross vehicles that are GPS tracked for speed.

Become a life saver! All you need is:

A valid state driver's license and proof of insurance

3 years driving experience and a clean driving record

Comfortable using mobile app and smart phones

Ability to lift up to 45 lbs

Must be comfortable using an app on a smartphone

What is Red Cross Delivers?

Red Cross Delivers is a mobile app that supports our volunteers who deliver life-saving blood products to the hospitals efficiently and effectively. The Red Cross Delivers app is not just a tool; it is a vital link in the chain of hope, ensuring that every drop of donated blood reaches those in need, ultimately saving lives and making a profound difference in communities across the nation.

Track, inventory, maintain and service vehicles used on a disaster relief operation.

Ensures that other Red Cross workers have the vehicles they need in order to carry out client-facing service delivery and get to/from their worksites. 

•       Organized and detail oriented

•       Tech-savvy

•       Enjoys working independently

•       Comfortable driving required routes (freeway, long distance, high congestion areas)

Will usually be a computer-based position at DRO headquarters tracking vehicle assignments. May also require pickup or delivery of rental vehicles to/from worksites or headquarters. Sometimes Transportation workers are assigned to drive a designated shuttle route to transport other Red Cross workers or provide courier service between worksites.

Supports congregate shelters during a disaster relief operation by resourcing and delivering materials via daily site visits. 

Directly contributes to the success of our client-facing shelter operation by delivering critical supplies to shelters. Supports our E3 vision of “Every Shelter, Every Need, Every Day”.

•       Enjoys independent volunteering

•       Comfortable driving required routes (freeway, long distance, high congestion areas, box truck-sized vehicle)

May have limited client interaction during a supply delivery but primary interaction will be with other Red Cross workers. Some physical agility is needed because lifting/unloading of supplies is required.

Serves on a disaster relief operation assisting with the collection, evaluation, analysis and dissemination of information related to the incident. May create maps, dashboards, incident action plans, and other reports. 

Behind-the-scenes support to the disaster operation with no direct client contact but is still a key support to our field workers.

•       Organized and detail oriented

•       Committed to meeting deadlines

•       Interested in volunteering “behind the scenes”

•       Tech-savvy and able to navigate a variety of applications and data sources

Role is largely computer-based working from a DRO headquarters and is not a client-facing role. Tech-savvy is an absolute must.

Government Operations volunteers are responsible for ensuring Red Cross actions are aligned with, supportive of, and complementary to government. The role involves managing expectations, establishing and monitoring situational awareness, and seek, collect, evaluate and communicate critical information. This role is often situated in an Emergency Operations Center.

Supports clients behind the scenes without direct client contact to coordinate our services with government partners.

•       Excellent communication skills

•       Able to articulate goals, needs, benefits of partnership

•       Values input and fosters a cooperation

•       Consistently follows through with commitment and responsibilities

•       Able to work independently through complex communications procedures

•       Able to work in a fast paced and ever-changing environment

Needs to be able to represent ARC to partners with professionalism and work within the established DRO chain of command to make commitments. Position may be based at an EOC or at a DRO headquarters providing virtual/phone support to EOCs and partners. Some degree of working independently is needed.

Work with external organizations to build capacity, coordinate activities, integrate expertise and provide channels to reach all disaster-affected communities, particularly traditionally underserved populations. 

Makes connections with community organizations who can benefit our clients during response and recovery

•       Respects and understands different cultures and perspectives

•       Able to articulate goals, needs, benefits of partnership

•       Values input and fosters a cooperation

•       Consistently follows through with commitment and responsibilities

Needs to be able to represent ARC to external organizations with professionalism and work within the established DRO chain of command to make commitments. Position is likely field-based visiting with other organizations and not at the DRO headquarters full time so some degree of working independently is needed.

Be a part of a team on a disaster relief operation to address hunger in an impacted community all while ensuring food safety and proper food service standards are met.

Works directly with clients to serve meals and snacks.

•       Enjoys working as a part of a team

•       Excellent communication, interpersonal, and customer service skills

•       Loves taking care of people through serving food

Some physical agility is needed (climbing in and out of ERVs, moderate lifting of food storage Cambros).

Work with shelter residents to understand their resources and transition roadblocks to help households create an action plan so that they can transition from the shelter to long term housing solutions.    

Rewarding front-line position that helps clients move from a shelter situation to a more sustainable housing option post-disaster.

•       Excellent communication and interpersonal skills

•       Tech-savvy

•       Loves supporting clients’ needs

•       Creative problem solver

•       Able to work in a dynamic situation

Great for social workers and non-licensed volunteers with case management experience or clinical skills due to complexity in client cases (but this background is not required). Knowledge of or prior experience working with housing programs would also be a great fit (but not required).

Support the day-to-day activities withing a shelter which can include working in reception, registration, feeding, dormitory, information or other areas. 

Provides direct, front-line customer service to clients and cares for basic needs in a group setting.

•       Enjoys working as a part of a team

•       Excellent communication and interpersonal skills

•       Loves supporting clients’ needs

•       Able to work in a dynamic situation

Shelter shifts on larger DROs are typically 12-hour shifts and may include day or night shifts. Nationally deployable shelter workers should be comfortable working either days or nights depending on need.

Be a part of the local disaster response team by ensuring timely activation and monitoring of local and regional Disaster Action Team responses. 

Ensures that DAT responders are dispatched to the scene of local disasters and escalates larger incidents to regional leadership.

•       Interested in working independently as a part of a team

•       Tech savvy

•       Excellent communicator

•       Organized and detail oriented

•       Able to multi-task

Great opportunity for people who want to touch the mission but prefer to do so from their home. DDOs should be comfortable taking calls during their assigned shift times (day or night) across a wide geography (typically the region) and know that call volume may vary during their shift.