National Disaster Response:

 When a disaster threatens or strikes, the Red Cross focuses on meeting the immediate emergency disaster-caused needs. They provide food, shelter, health, and mental health services to address basic human needs. In addition to these services, the core of the Red Cross disaster relief is the assistance given to individuals and families affected by disaster to enable them to resume their normal daily activities independently. For deployed to national disaster sites volunteers work 7 days-3 weeks in a variety of emergency services.

 Become a Disaster Volunteer:

  The first step in becoming a disaster volunteer is to fill out a volunteer application and successfully complete disaster training courses offered by the Red Cross. The disaster courses listed on this page are available to any community member who wishes to become a volunteer for Lenawee County.

Trained disaster volunteers can serve on the local Disaster Action Team (DAT) and/or become certified to serve nationally as a Disaster Services Human Resource (DSHR) team member.

 Disaster Courses offered by the American Red Cross:

 Start off by taking our Introduction to Disaster Services training online: The following is a link to take the course: Introduction to Disaster Services. Length: 45 minutes

•  Introduction to Disaster Services
  Introduction to Disaster Services is an online course consisting of three separate learning modules that will introduce learners to American Red Cross Disaster Services.  It allows trainees to discover how volunteers support this critical mission and to explore ways they can become involved in their local chapter. 
• Fulfilling the Mission : Translating Your Compassion into Community Action
  This is a basic entry level instructor-led course which introduces potential disaster volunteers and members of other local agencies to the role of the Red Cross in the community’s actions in preparing for, responding to, and recovering from emergencies and disasters.  The course will enable individual volunteers to translate their care and compassion for their community into action and provide information to other community agencies on Red Cross work and possible partnership in preparation for and response to a disaster. Length: 3 hours.
• Mass Care: An Overview
  This course provides an overview of activities of the Mass Care function.Participants learn skills and abilities needed by Mass Care workers at the local level and larger disaster relief operations. Length: 3 hours

• Shelter Operations/ Shelter Simulation
  These two courses prepare Red Cross paid and volunteer staff to effectively and sensitively manage shelter operations as a team and meet the needs of people displaced as a result
  of a disaster. The second course (Shelter Simulation) provides the participants an opportunity to practice the knowledge and skills needed to run a successful shelter operation. Total length: 6 hours; Prerequisite: Introduction to Disaster Services and Community Services: An Overview.