These bulletins are a continuation for those in government who manage emergency response situations regarding the use of volunteers and common concerns.
1e. As to how to manage them (see prior bulletins for parts 1 and 2)
- For EMCOMM Units (Emergency Communications units such as the Auxiliary Communications Service, or ACS) there are many helpful materials to aid in their creation, development, and management. The State of California OES ACS Web site at http://acs.oes.ca.gov has a host of such materials. There is also direct telephone help available from the staff of the Governor's Office of Emergency Services from the paid staff coordinator of the State ACS program: Telecommunications Coordinator Ben Green, 916-262-1603, E-Mail: Ben_Green@oes.ca.gov
- As to not having space or equipment for volunteers
- Is there work they can take home to do?
- Is there part-time staff whose workspace they can use?
- Is there some appropriate field work to assign them?
- As to not having time to prepare work for them
- When sorting your own work, what can be delegated?
- Can a file be created to save projects for volunteers
- Can you delegate this task to a qualified volunteer?
- As to not having time to train volunteers
- Can you delegate training to a qualified volunteer?
- Can you piggyback onto or modify existing staff training?
- Can other staff mentor volunteers?
- Can they be trained on-the-job?
- Is there training available through other sources?
- What tasks can be given to volunteers that minimize the training time?
- As to liability issues
- Can you adjust insurance coverage to extend to volunteers?
- Will volunteers be used in disaster response where the Disaster Service Worker Program coverage would apply?
- Can you anticipate what might be needed and address liability issues in advance, as through training and information?
- Training is an area where it is possible to reduce the likelihood of possible injuries, so consider that under the training issue, using both experts and volunteers.
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