Spring 2010 Session
Brazos County Interjurisdictional Emergency Management and our Volunteer
Organizations will hold its Spring Session “Disaster Volunteer Academy” during February
4th through April 8th, 2010. Our Academy is designed to
create a cadre of local volunteers for disaster response and recovery. Volunteers
are provided information and skills relating to various areas of hazard mitigation
and disaster preparedness, response, and recovery. The goal of this
training is to enhance Emergency Management’s readiness by including
citizen response teams.
The Disaster Volunteer Academy core training is a total of 24 hours and
comprised of eight sessions. Sessions take place in various locations
and instructors come from professionals in Emergency Management and Volunteer
Agencies. Volunteers must be at least 18 years of age. Seniors 55+
and young adults are especially encouraged to join this training. Training
takes place in the evening with the final session an exercise that allows
volunteers to experience a mock disaster and receive hands-on training on
disaster response and recovery activities.
Disaster Volunteer Academy History
In 2003, Brazos County Emergency Management recognized a need by the public to have a greater understanding of personal, family, and community preparedness, a greater understanding of emergency management itself, as well as to create a cadre of local volunteers for disaster response and recovery. A curriculum was developed for a series of classes and thus, the Disaster Volunteer Academy was created.
The Brazos County Interjurisdictional Emergency Management team, comprised of representatives from Brazos County, City of College Station, City of Bryan, and Texas A&M University, hosted the first Academy in 2003. The volunteers were provided information and skills relating to various areas of hazard mitigation and disaster preparedness, response, and recovery. An additional goal of the training was to enhance Emergency Management’s readiness by including citizen response teams.
Training Description
The Disaster Volunteer Academy has been held annually, until 2007, and is offered to the public and employees of local jurisdictions who cannot participate in the Academy during the normal work week. Participants must be at least 18 years of age. The core training is 24 hours and comprised of eight sessions. The sessions take place in the evening and can be held in various locations. The instructors come from professionals in Emergency Management and Volunteer agencies.
Core training provides an overview of local emergency management and how our community responds in a disaster. Volunteers will learn skills that will help safeguard their life, their property, and their loved ones. The final session involves an exercise that allows volunteers to experience a mock disaster and receive hands-on training in disaster response and recovery activities.
Training Benefits
Americans today are aware of the ongoing "war
on terror" and
the need for volunteer assistance in a time of crisis. This training will
not only assist in safeguarding our homeland, but it also provides a resource
for those needs that arise when natural disasters occur locally, regionally,
or statewide or during times of crisis. Many
of our graduates have participated locally in the Emergency Operations Center
and with other volunteer organizations during the evacuation responses
for hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Gustav, and Ike.
|