Pre-affiliate to Help in a Disaster
The most effective way the public can assist is to support the experienced disaster relief organizations with either financial contributions or in-kind goods and services that the organizations report are needed. VolunteerMaine.org acts as a clearinghouse for these organizations who need volunteers. It is important that you register with VolunteerMaine.org so that your particular skills and interests can be matched with the organization that can best use them
Sometimes volunteers appear spontaneously at disaster sites and create their own new set of problems for organizations to handle along with the disaster. The process you are about to begin will help all of us to ensure that you are in the right place at the right time doing the right thing.
Volunteer Registration:
In order to insure we can take advantage of your skills most effectively you will be asked a series of questions designed to help us place you where you are needed most. Please take your time and be as accurate as possible. Click here to begin the registration process.
What to Expect:
- It will take you approximately 30 minutes to complete the registration process.
- Once we receive your information we will begin the matching process to see where you can be best utilized. If we have questions or need more information we will contact you via email or telephone.
- Once the registration process is complete, we will give you instructions on where to go next. In the case of an active disaster, it is possible you may be directed to a Volunteer Reception Center for further processing before actual placement. In other cases you may be sent directly to the site or to the organization you will be working with.
- Once you are at your deployment site you will be briefed and given any job-specific training necessary.
Please visit www.nvoad.org for a list of the major disaster relief organizations involved in preparedness, prevention, response and recovery in the United States. To learn more about disaster relief organizations involved in international disasters please visit www.interaction.org . Try to find out as much as you can about the work of the voluntary organization by asking questions of them and learning of their experience in disaster work. Guidance for assisting disaster victims outside the USA can be found at www.usaid.gov or www.cidi.org (Center for International Disaster Information).
