Disaster Relief Training
Interested in becoming a disaster volunteer? Connect via e-mail with our Director of Volunteers or call (309) 662-0500, ext. 27.
Are you are an existing disaster relief volunteer who needs help choosing appropriate courses? Connect via e-mail with a volunteer who will help you create the appropriate curriculum or call our Director of Emergency Preparedness at (309) 662-0500, ext. 26.
The best time to prepare and train is before a disaster so you are ready to respond. With that in mind, we offer several opportunities to become trained and ready to respond to local or national disasters.Our online course, “Introduction to Disaster Services” is a prerequisite for each of the following courses. To register for any of the following courses, fill out the form below.
Please choose from the following classes to link directly to class information. Upcoming class dates are in parentheses:
CBRNE (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosive) - Ready, Respond
Client Casework: Providing Emergency Assistance
Collaborating to Ensure Effective Service Delivery (Liaison Training) (March 20-21)
Disaster Assessment Basics
Disaster Frontline Supervisor
Disaster Frontline Supervisor Simulation
Disaster Instructor Specialty Training
ERV Orientation
ERV’s: Ready, Set, Roll
Financial and Statistical Information Management
Foundations of Disaster Mental Health
Fulfilling Our Mission: Translating Your Compassion Into Community Action (April 8)
Fundamentals of Disaster Assessment
International Humanitarian Law (March 15)
Mass Care: An Overview
Mass Caualty Disasters
Psychological First Aid (April 6)
Shelter Operations
Shelter Simulation
Fulfilling Our Mission: Translating Your Compassion Into Community Action
Introduces potential disaster volunteers to the role of the Red Cross in the community's actions in preparing for, responding to and recovering from emergencies and disasters.
PREREQISITE: Introduction to Disaster Services online training
Thursday, April 8; 6:00 pm. - 9:00 p.m.
Mass Care: An Overview
Is for people who wish to serve in or work with Mass Care group activities on a disaster relief operation. This class provides an overview of the activities performed by the Mass Care group in support of a disaster relief operation.
PREREQUISITE: Fulfilling Our Mission: Translating Your Compassion Into Community Action
Shelter Operations
Is designed for the learners to acquire knowledge of Red Cross policies and procedures for setting up, running and closing a shelter during a disaster. The course includes lecture and group exercises.
PREREQUISITE: Fulfilling Our Mission, Mass Care
Shelter Simulation
Is designed for learners to acquire knowledge of Red Cross policies and procedures for setting up, running and closing a shelter during a disaster.
PREREQUISITE: Fulfilling Our Mission, Mass Care, Shelter Operations
ERV’s: Ready, Set, Roll
Is designed to provide learners with the opportunity to learn about and use an Emergency Response Vehicle (ERV) and all related equipment.
PREREQUISITE: Fulfilling Our Mission, Mass Care
ERV Orientation
PREREQUISITE: Fulfilling Our Mission, Mass Care, ERV Ready, Set, Roll
Disaster Instructor Specialty Training
Is an advanced-level, instructor-led course, designed to begin the certification process for experienced disaster volunteers to become disaster relief instructors. It will help enhance and refine the presentation skills of instructor candidates, preparing them to teach basic-level disaster courses.
PREREQUISITE:
Required
- Complete the basic course that the candidate intends to teach.
- Sufficient operations knowledge and experience to be able to convey accurately the concepts, principles and procedures contained in the course the candidate intends to teach and to be able to answer participants’ questions
- Complete the Fundamentals of Instruction and Facilitation (FIF) self-study class, OR have professional educator experience. See Sondra for FIF study materials
Recommended
- Collaborating to Ensure Effective Service Delivery (ARC 3089-4, Rev. 06/04)
- Serving People with Disabilities Following a Disaster (online component)(DSPSS200C 07/06)
- Working with Total Diversity (ARC 1503)
- Working Together: Building Effective Paid and Volunteer Staff Relationships
International Humanitarian Law
Intended to raise awareness about the Geneva Conventions, the basic rules of international humanitarian law, and the role of the Red Cross during armed conflict to implement International Humanitarian Law. The course invites participants to reflect on their images and perceptions of armed conflict and explore the powerful and fundamental concept of human dignity even in the midst of the excesses of war.
PREREQUISITES: None
Monday, March 15; 5:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Disaster Frontline Supervisor
Prepares supervisors to lead a team of disaster workers to deliver high quality client service and to create a climate that promotes worker satisfaction.
PREREQUISITES: Training AND Experience in a Group/Activity you may want to supervise
Psychological First Aid
Provides practical suggestions for what a person can say and do as he/she practices the principles of Psychological First Aid in support of others. It helps disaster volunteers and employees provide assistance to people when they most need it and to help disaster workers take better care of themselves and their colleagues when they engage in disaster response and recovery acitivities.
Recommended: Fulfilling Our Mission, Working with Total DIversity
Tuesday, April 6; 5:30 p.m. -9:30 p.m.
Disaster Frontline Supervisor Simulation
Provides participants an opportunity to practice their supervisory knowledge and skills in leading teams that deliver high quality service and to create a climate that promotes worker satisfaction.
PREREQUISITE: Disaster Frontline Supervisor
CBRNE (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosive) - Ready, Respond
The ability of an American Red Cross chapter to respond to a Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear or high-yield Explosive (CBRNE) incident requires unique planning, key partnerships, effective tools, resources and responsive chapter leadership. Such an incident could be the result of terrorism, human-caused accidents or naturally occurring disease-causing outbreaks. This course provides a description of roles,specific preparedness activities, and particular initial response steps that will enable a chapter to provide safe, effective services during a CBRNE incident.
Mass Caualty Disasters
This course explores the four types of mass casualty disasters and the planning and response role of the Red Cross as part of an overall community response. This interactive learning experience culminates in a thought-provoking simulation of a mass casualty event where participants form teams, representing a Red Cross chapter, and must make decisions during the first 24 hours following the disaster event.
PREREQUISITE: Fulfilling Our Mission
Response experience on a large disaster will be very helpful.
Disaster Assessment Basics
A course designed for local community volunteers, primarily Disaster Action Team (DAT) members that provides a general overview of the tasks performed by Red Cross Disaster Assessment workers in support of a disaster relief operation and a local incident such as a single or multi-family fire.
PREREQUISITES: Fulfilling Our Mission
Foundations of Disaster Mental Health
Participants in this course will be licensed mental health professionals who are considering becoming involved in Red Cross disaster mental health preparedness, response and recovery activities at their local chapter and on national disaster relief operations. The course prepares licensed mental health professionals to provide for and respond to the psychological needs of people across the continuum of disaster preparedness, response and recovery.
Recommended:
It is strongly recommended that all participants complete:
• Introduction to Disaster Services online training
• Working With Total Diversity
Successful completion of one of the following:
• Family Services: Providing Emergency Assistance to Families
or
• Client Casework: Providing Emergency Assistance
Client Casework: Providing Emergency Assistance
The purpose of this disaster services course is to prepare Red Cross employees and volunteers to perform the tasks of an Individual Client Services casework service associate. After completing this course, participants will be able to—
• Demonstrate the skills needed to perform an effective client interview.
• Identify and demonstrate the correct use of the basic forms and tools needed to provide assistance to clients on chapter, multi-chapter and national disaster relief operations.
• Make appropriate decisions regarding the use of Red Cross resources and agency referrals when providing assistance to clients.
PREREQUISITE: Fulfilling Our Mission: Translating Your Compassion Into Community Action
Financial and Statistical Information Management
After successfully completing the course, Red Cross volunteers and employees will be able to perform the tasks of a Financial and Statistical Information Management (FSI) service associate on a disaster relief operation. Participants in this course will be Red Cross employees and volunteers who are currently serving, or who are interested in serving, in the FSI activity. Others who may benefit from taking this course include those in Operations Management and those who may require an understanding of the operational procedures and tasks associated with Financial and Statistical Information Management.
PREREQUISITE: Client Casework: Providing Emergency Assistance
Fundamentals of Disaster Assessment
This is a BLENDED class, consisting of 2 parts: one online and one classroom. Before attending the FDA classroom course, students MUST attend and complete the 4 hour online class: Fundamentals of Disaster Assessment. Get instructions for accessing the online course from Sondra, Mike or Brad.
This class explores the critical role of disaster assessment, explores related preparedness tasks, teaches how to collect and communicate disaster assessment information, and become familiar with how DA information supports management and service delivery decisions.
RECOMMENDED PREREQUISITE: Fulfilling Our Mission
Collaborating to Ensure Effective Service Delivery (Liaison)
Gain a practical understanding of what a liaison is and what a liaison does—how they collaborate with diverse internal and external stakeholders to ensure effective service delivery in a manner that yields community trust in, appreciation for and goodwill toward the American Red Cross.
PREREQUISITE: Fulfilling Our Mission
Saturday 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. AND Sunday 1:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.