Support Your Neighbors When Disaster Strikes: Volunteer with Our Disaster Action Team in Buffalo!

Disaster Cycle Services - Erie County: Disaster Action Team (DAT) Specialist

Most of the 60,000 emergencies that the Red Cross responds to each year are local, personal disasters, especially home fires. Disaster Action Teams (DAT) provide emotional support, financial assistance, and information to help families begin the process of recovery. As a Disaster Action Team (DAT) Specialist, you will have the opportunity respond to local disasters and provide immediate compassion and care to neighbors throughout your county when they need it most.

Locations:

Available through Erie County

Key Responsibilities:

During a shift, DAT Specialists will:

• Provide empathetic support to individuals experiencing distress and uncertainty through challenging times
• Learn strong multimodal communication skills
• Present willingness to work collaboratively and as individually directed
• Be dependable in responding to disasters calls and fulfilling assigned responsibilities in alignment with our fundamental principles and within established guidelines.

This is an on-call position with need for volunteers willing to travel throughout Erie County.

Qualifications

• Comfortable using and learning new technology.
• Reliable access to a cell phone (with ability to receive text messages), laptop or computer.
• Be available to respond reliably to local disasters during assigned shifts in RC Respond, the DAT scheduling system, and communicate scheduling conflicts with DAT Leadership.
• Must sign up for the minimum number of required shifts per month as determined by the region.
• Able to work in potentially challenging and stressful conditions such as poor air quality, uneven ground, adverse weather, etc.
• Must be 18 years or older.
• Must have a valid driver's license and/or a timely, reliable way to get to a disaster scene.

All Required Training is provided by the Red Cross FOR FREE!

To see a current Disaster Action Team Member at work, please watch this short video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yamNDUbsn0&feature=youtu.be