Geriatric Mental Health Disaster and Emergency Preparedness

164 Geriatric Mental Health Disaster and Emergency Preparedness
Volunteer Center National Network, and FEMA convened a National
Leadership Forum on Disaster Volunteerism. It was evident from the
discussions that there was a need for tools, training, and resources to implement
recommendations for volunteers at the local level (Points of
Light Foundation & Volunteer Center National Network, 2002a). Subsequently,
National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster ( VOAD)
established a national volunteer management committee to develop concepts
of operation to guide planning for and managing volunteers during
all phases of emergency management (Points of Light Foundation &
Volunteer Center National Network, 2002b). The committee also developed
concepts for planning for and managing unaffiliated volunteers,
who can sometimes be underutilized or problematic.
PLANNING FOR SPONTANEOUS VOLUNTEERS
It is important to plan for spontaneous volunteers. These volunteers are
eager to respond and contribute to the community’s recovery but usually
lack the training to be effective in these roles (Points of Light Foundation
& Volunteer Center National Network, 2002b). Despite a strong desire
to help, volunteers who arrive at a disaster site can actually impede
rescue and recovery efforts if they are unaffiliated and untrained in disaster
operations (Points of Light Foundation & Volunteer Center National
Network, 2002b). Organizations that connect people with charities that
need volunteers said they saw increases in calls and emails from potential
volunteers following major disasters such as the September 11, 2001,
terrorist attack and Hurricane Katrina ( Wilhelm, 2002). “Robert Putnam,
author of Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community,
states Americans’ sense of civic responsibility runs particularly strong
following major disasters” ( Wilhelm, 2002, p. 28). In New York City following
the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, a record number of people
signed up with the American Red Cross to volunteer. However, most
were turned away because the Red Cross had received as many volunteers
as it could handle, yet other organizations desperately needed volunteers
(O’Brien, 2003.). At that time, there was no clearinghouse that
could have taken calls from organizations and matched volunteers according
to skills and experience. However, since then, the Lower Manhattan
Development Association in New York City has developed a volunteer
registry. Some online sites such as VolunteerMatch.org have made a spe-