On this page:
Animal Sheltering and Care
Human resources
Logistics
Field Rescuers (Rescue Task Force)
Leadership
Animal Sheltering and Care- This unit will handle everything related to the temporary housing, tracking (paperwork), care and returning of animals within the temporary shelter. Selection, set-up and evacuation of the temporary shelter for animals is also the job of this unit. Volunteers for this unit need only the minimum training. Volunteers will be working in the temporary shelters/barns caring for animals with which they feel comfortable working. Possible jobs include, but are not limited to:
- Attending training sessions so you understand your part in the process and how to do multiple jobs/tasks within the shelter.
- Set-up of the shelter and area designation for various species
- Intake of animals, paperwork processing, identification of animals and assisting owners to locate their animals within the shelter.
- Cleaning of crates, food bowls, stalls, dog exercise yard, animals, litter boxes, etc.
- Feeding and watering the animals
- Disposing of trash and other waste
- Dog walking
- Help with packing up the temp shelter and returning it to a better condition than when it was loaned to us.
Human resources- This unit handles the people. Volunteers, owners looking for pets, identification and assignment of volunteers, work schedules, etc. Volunteers for this unit need only the minimum training. These volunteers could be working in any part of the response, except in the rescue field. Possible jobs include but are not limited to:
- Helping the Unit Leader organize training drills, keep the call list up to date and keep training documentation for volunteers up to date
- Helping a team manage it's volunteers prior to an event by keeping track of training updates and information changes of each individual team member
- During a disaster, assist with the day to day operation of the temporary shelter or (for small incidents) the volunteer assignments for transporting animals to local shelters or other facilities.
- Greeting volunteers that show up on-site, helping them fill out applications, verifying training documentation and assigning them to appropriate jobs
- Making sure volunteers get time off and that replacement workers are assigned during a disaster
- Keeping track of how many hours the volunteers work for reporting purposes.
Logistics- This unit handles the "stuff." Inventory, aquisition, transporting equipment, etc. They are also the communication branch of the team making sure each unit is able to communicate with the others and other responce agencies. Volunteers for this unit need only the minimum training. These volunteers could be working in any part of the response, except in the rescue field. Possible jobs include but are not limited to:
- Communications and aquiring communications equipment
- Finding resources and perishable/non-perishable supplies before and during an event
- Keeping track of who has what gear as well as who needs what gear
- Finances and expense reporting/recording (inventory control.)
Field Rescuers (Rescue Task Force)- This unit is specially trained volunteers and they do the actual rescue and recovery of animals from the disaster area. Volunteers in this unit will need extensive training before they are allowed into restricted areas to recover animals. Some of the training can be done through FEMA courses, but a hands-on training course including a mock disaster through one of the national agencies is also required. CERT training is highly recomended. These volunteers should be seeking every training opportunity possible. When not responding on assignment, these volunteers will be utilized in other job areas for the team.
Leadership- The leadership of the team and various units within the team is critical. These people need a high level of training and the ability to make rapid decisions and to think clearly under pressure. Each county's team needs a Captain and a Lieutenant. Each of the above units within each team also needs a leader (and if possible, a co-leader to take over when the leader needs rest during an incident.) The leaders must have at least FEMA IS-100, 200, 700 & 800, and at least one disaster workshop offered by AHA, UAN or HSUS. A solid understanding of the CART response plan, each of the unit's tasks and the incident management system is required. Leadership experience or training is a plus, but not required. During a disaster, the leaders will be running the show and directing the volunteers. They should be available in the field or in a central command post location so that the volunteers can find them easily to give updates and reports.
If any of the above jobs sound like something you would be interested in, please take a moment to look over the more extensive job descriptions, then fill out an application found on "Become a Team Member" page and send it to Bonnie Morrison as indicated on the application.
