Disaster Assistance Volunteer Organizations are very important to our American society. It gives people a way to help people, volunteers their time, reestablishes services, provides shelters, and more. It also creates a sense of community if the work is being done locally. As well as giving people a sense of global community as they help people in other states or faraway lands. This article will outline disaster preparedness, recovery and many ways United States citizens can get help. As well as discussing agencies and ministries that help people recover from disasters locally and globally.
Personal Disaster Preparedness in Coordination With Disaster Assistance Volunteer Organizations
First, you as an individual or family must be prepared. No one can be prepared for every contingency, but there are some things that everyone needs. Always have a well-stocked First Aid Kit. There are many that are commercially available for purchase. This can be invaluable in disasters with lots of minor injuries. You also need a Disaster Kit which can be compiled if you have at least a few minutes warning about a disaster. If you live in areas that are disaster-prone you may want to keep this Disaster Kit packed at all times.
The following items should be in your Disaster Kit or Go-Bag
- A change of clothes (at least one)
- Toiletries (non-liquid – soap, baby wipes, razor, toothbrush, toothpaste, brush or comb, etc.)
- A Good Knife (at least one survival knife)
- Flashlight (preferably one that has a manual power source or flashlight with extra batteries)
- Radio (preferably one that has a manual power source or radio with extra batteries)
- Medications (Daily prescription medicines as well as over-the-counter medicines)
- Shoes (all-weather, all-terrain)
- Fire Starter (lighter, or other means to light a fire)
- Signal devices (whistle, mirror, neon-bright colored blanket, etc.)
- Cell phone with Emergency charger.
Additional Items You Will Needed
- Non-perishable food (jerky, MREs, energy bars, dry spices, etc.)
- Water (at least 1 gallon per person per day for at least 3 days)
- Portable Water purifier (optional, but a good choice)
Disaster Assistance Volunteer Organizations – Preparedness
Most of these organizations are prepared to get to you within 3 days or less but occasionally it may take longer. Especially if you are a victim of a disaster outside the United States. So, in remote locations, it is even more important to be prepared. These organizations also rely heavily on volunteers. So, the organization’s leadership get there quickly and assess the needs of the community and then act. Hence, these acts include triage, healthcare, emergency food, and water as well as a temporary shelter and more. As part of that action, they recruit volunteers to enter the disaster zone, especially for things like clean-up, recovery, and reconstruction. The recovery efforts would also include recovery Dogs searching for survivors. For Christian organizations, the services would include spiritual support through Chaplains and also emotional support as well.
Disaster Assistance Volunteer Organizations
- FEMA (the United States Federal Emergency Management Agency)
- Red Cross (functions internationally)
- Samaritan’s Purse (functions internationally)
- All Hands and Hearts (functions internationally)
- Baptists on Mission (US focus, but also function internationally)
- UMCOR (The United Methodist Church on Relief, US focus, but also function internationally)
- NVOAD (National Voluntary Organization Active in Disasters, for USA national disasters)
The above are just a sample of the available Disaster Assistance Volunteer Organizations.
Recovery and Disaster Assistance Volunteer Organizations
These Disaster Assistance Volunteer Organizations provide the organizational skills, coordination, and also communication necessary for recovery. Including the recruitment of volunteers. Furthermore, many of these volunteers are professionals, like carpenters, plumbers, electricians, masons and more. But other volunteers are just average people that want to help. These helpers do primary clean-up labor. So, they clear out debris, cut trees, dig, carry, clean, repair, replace and many more menial yet rewarding activities. Activities that help families recover and emotional support for those that need it. Especially during this time of desperate need.
Supplies from Disaster Assistance Volunteer Organizations
These organizations are equipped to satisfy the basic needs of all people. They provide clean water. Also, non-perishable food items. They often even set up kitchens to provide hot meals. They also provide temporary shelters. Food, water, and shelter are the primary needs of every human, regardless of where they’re from. Getting these items to the victims of a disaster is the most important thing these organizations do. But they do much more than that as they establish their relief efforts.
Additional Services of Disaster Assistance Volunteer Organizations
One of the most important things they do is establish a temporary healthcare facility. They provide medical aid. Obviously, if a person needs immediate medical services they are cared for as soon as possible, but the healthcare facility comes a little later. As well as the hot food kitchen, electricity, portable restroom facilities, trauma counseling, spiritual counseling and more. This is when infrastructure begins to be reestablished. Then the recovery efforts to rebuild begins. Furthermore, this recovery effort can be a long process, taking days, weeks, months or even years, depending on the disaster.
For Victims of US Disasters FEMA Provides
- Disaster declarations from the President of the United States or State Governor
- Volunteer Opportunities
- Disaster Emergency Communications (through six geographically dispersed Mobile Emergency Response Support detachments as well as a pre-positioned fleet of Mobile Communications Office Vehicles.)
- Free Disaster Recovery Centers (housing referral, business counseling services, disaster legal services, disaster unemployment services, as well as funeral assistance)
- Disaster Training (for professionals and volunteers)
- Disaster Assistance online application can be found here: https://www.disasterassistance.gov/
FEMA and SBA
SBA services (Small Business Administration) can loan money to homeowners, renters, and also business owners. Homeowners may borrow up to $200,000 for disaster-related home repairs. Furthermore, homeowners and renters may borrow up to $40,000 to replace disaster-damaged personal property including vehicles. The SBA may not duplicate benefits from your insurance or FEMA. You may receive an SBA referral when you apply with FEMA.
Disaster Texts from and to FEMA
- FEMA text messages are sent from our dedicated number: 43362, but remember this is not a substitute for dialing 911 for emergency services.
- If you need shelter text SHELTER and a Zip Code to 43362.
- If you need an open Disaster Recovery Center, text DRC and a Zip Code to 43362.
- Additional texts to FEMA can get you the help you need. You just have to test the following appropriate word followed by their dedicated number 43362: EARTHQUAKE, FIRE, FLOOD, HURRICANE, WILDFIRE, WINTER. (example text: Earthquake 43362)
Final Thoughts
This is just the tip of the iceberg of the Disaster Assistance Volunteer Organizations help that is available. Please feel free to visit each website through the links I have provided. There is also much too much information for just one article, but I hope it gave you a little information about what’s out there. Hopefully, it encouraged you to volunteer, but if you can’t volunteer, you can also donate money and supplies. Visit each website for details.
