American Red Cross of Central South Carolina Chapter’s disaster volunteers respond to emergencies whenever and wherever they strike 365 days a year. Volunteers work to ensure that emergency or disaster-related needs of the community are being met.

How? When a disaster strikes, Disaster Action Team (DAT) volunteers are on the scene providing caring relief, day and night. They set up disaster shelters, conduct damage assessments, meet the immediate needs of disaster victims - services which are provided person to person. Volunteers with the Disaster Service Human Resource System (DSHR) support the efforts of the Red Cross in disaster-affected areas nationwide by organizing volunteers on the scene.

Each year, the American Red Cross responds immediately to more than 70,000 disasters, both natural and man-made. As you watch disaster relief efforts unfold, you may wonder how the Red Cross recruits and trains volunteers. Chapters all over the country offer Disaster Services Human Resources (DSHR) System training to equip volunteers with the proper training and knowledge to prepare them for deployment when disaster strikes. During times of large scale disasters and devastation there are also many individuals who step forward, eager to do whatever they can to help. When these spontaneous volunteers offer their assistance, we often put their talents to use on-site and behind the scenes after orienting them to Red Cross services and determining how they may best help those affected by the disaster. . If you are interested in volunteering with the Red Cross to help in disaster services, please review our new online Introduction to Disaster Services Course to learn more about the lifesaving services we provide.

Disaster Course Descriptions

Upcoming Disaster Training Courses

3066, Introduction to Disaster Services (45 minutes online only)

ONLINE @ www.redcross.org

(Prerequisite to all other authorized Red Cross Disaster courses)  Engage and inspire the public to actively participate in supporting American Red Cross disaster response. This self-study course will introduce learners to American Red Cross Disaster Services and allow them to discover how volunteers support this critical mission and to explore ways they can become involved in a local chapter. Services. . Available online at www.redcross.org

3068-4 ERVs: Ready, Set, Roll (3 hours class, then road test [time varies])

Date:  Saturday February 25, 2006, 10AM-6PM

(Prerequisites 3068-1 OR  3068-6, Valid DL, First Aid/CPR, satisfactory recent DMV report, Defensive Driving Course certificate; recommend 3071-1) Prepares volunteers and employees of the Red Cross to safely and effectively use an Emergency Response Vehicle (ERV) and its equipment to meet feeding and other service needs of people affected by disaster.

3068-11 Shelter Operations (3 Hours)

Date:  March 23, 2006 6PM-9PM

(Prerequisites 3068-1 OR 3068-6) Prepares volunteers and employees of the Red Cross and other agencies to effectively and sensitively manage shelter operations as a team while meeting the needs of people displaced as a result of a disaster.

3068-12 Shelter Simulation (3.5 hours)

Date:  March 30, 2006 6PM-9PM

(Prerequisites 3068-1 OR 3068-6, 3068-11) Provides participants with an opportunity to apply the knowledge, skills and abilities required to operate a successful shelter.

3071-1 Logistics: An Overview (3 hours)

Date:  3/25/2006 8AM-11AM

(Prerequisites 3066) Learn about the skills, abilities and knowledge needed by Logistics workers and how to get started in the Chapter.  This course is a prerequisite to all other training in the Logistics function.

3071-2 Logistics Simulation (4 hours)

Date:  March 25, 2006 11AM-1PM

(Prerequisites 3066, 3071-1) Apply learned Logistic knowledge and skills and practice problem-solving with common Logistic issues.

3072-1 Family Services Providing, Emergency Assistance to Families (8 hours)

Date: Saturday March 11, 2006 8AM-5PM

(Prerequisites 3066) Develops interviewing skills, knowledge, attitudes and relationships necessary to meet individual emergency disaster-caused needs. Also informing case-workers about Government, other disaster programs and conducting home visits.

DAT Orientation and CAC Training (3 hours)

Date:  Thursday March 16, 2006 6PM-9PM

Prepares Disaster Action Team (DAT) members to respond to local disasters and provide immediate disaster relief. This course is required for all DAT members.  Client Assistance Card (CAC) Training guides workers on how to use the CAC, which is used to provide immediate emergency financial assistance to disaster clients.

For more information about these classes or to sign up, call the Central South Carolina Chapter at (803) 540 1215.

Red Cross volunteers are on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to help when and wherever needed. The American Red Cross is a volunteer agency that routinely helps people suffering from loss of life and property caused by such events as fire, flooding, blizzards or man-made tragedies. Disaster volunteers respond to emergencies, do a damage assessment and give compassionate care for the people affected. That immediate care can include food, clothing, shelter, medical assistance and crisis counseling and is initiated at the scene. Follow-up assistance helps victims replace, as needed, bedding, dishes, work-related clothing and tools, eyeglasses and other necessary items. In larger scale emergencies disaster volunteers set up shelters and work as part of the community-wide effort.

For more Disaster Services information contact emergency and community services at 803-540-1215.