Volunteering

We Appreciate our Volunteers!

A big thank you to all of our Red Cross volunteers who are there, everyday, to provide vital services in our community.

 

Whether you help during a disaster, respond to a fire at 2 AM, teach Health & Safety classes at the Chapter, work at a blood drive or help our service members communicate with families back home during a family emergency, you, our volunteers are the heart of the American Red Cross.

 

Thanks again for all you do! 

 

 

 

 

The American Red Cross is always in need of volunteers...because someone is always in need of the American Red Cross.

Every day, the American Red Cross responds to emergencies down the street... across the country...around the globe. It may be half a million devastated disaster victims or one child in need of lifesaving skills. Few Americans are untouched by Red Cross services - all made possible by volunteers who discover that helping others also makes them feel good about themselves. Those who wear the Red Cross emblem - beloved symbol of hope and help - come from all walks of life. They are all ages. Everyone has something special to offer...including you! Make red your color. Wear it for the Red Cross - VOLUNTEER TODAY!  Read Why I Volunteer, highlighting some of our volunteers.

 

Volunteer Orientations

Volunteer orientations are scheduled on an individual basis allowing interested volunteers an opportunity to learn about volunteer opportunities, discuss their volunteer interest, meet the staff and tour our chapter house. For more information or to schedule a volunteer orientation please e-mail Judy Peterson, Supervisor Chapter Operations at jpeterson@frederickredcross.org or call 301-662-5131. 

 

Emergency Services volunteers

 

Community Disaster Education (CDE)
Community Disaster Education is a primary emphasis of our chapter's Emergency Services activities. Educating the public on disaster preparedness is a major concern for the Red Cross. If people know how to prepare, prevent and respond to emergencies, they can help make their recovery time less. This preparation is a very important part of relieving the suffering that an unprepared community will experience in a disaster. CDE volunteers staff displays, distribute emergency preparedness literature throughout the community, develop and implement disaster preparedness projects, speak to community and civic organizations and participate in other ways to help our community learn to prepare itself for disasters. Volunteers are trained to speak to the public about what the Red Cross does for the community, and what people in the community should know about their local Red Cross.

 

Disaster Action Team Member
Disaster Action Team (DAT) members are specially trained to provide assistance to individuals and families affected by disasters. Locally, they respond to single and multi-family fires, floods, transportation accidents, chemical spills, hurricanes, and other disasters.

DSHR (Disaster Services Human Resources) Member
Local volunteers that are part of the Disaster Action Team who gain experience and specialized training, often register to become a DSHR member. This is the National Red Cross database of volunteers that are trained in a specialty area, and are asked to participate on National Disaster Assignments such as large hurricanes or severe flooding in states all across the U.S. and its territories. Local disaster experience and specialized training are pre-requisites for DSHR membership.

 

Trained Local Disaster Volunteers
Disaster volunteers may be out in the community dealing with disaster victims directly, participating in a committee, helping educate schools, churches, businesses and the general community on disaster preparedness, or learning how to help if a major disaster affected the Frederick County area.

We are always looking for people willing to dedicate their time and efforts in learning skills such as how to help run a shelter; how to mass feed large groups of people devastated by disaster; how to help people in a one-on-one scenario in a service center, driving our Response Vehicle into the affected areas, to help feed people; running the records and reports function in shelters and at the temporary headquarters established for the disaster; fundraising; public affairs; local disaster volunteer recruitment; and so many more functions. When a large disaster occurs in our community, Red Cross trained volunteers are always there to help make a difference.

Blood Services

The Red Cross is seeking volunteers to work at blood drives throughout Frederick County. Help to save lives and meet friendly people in your community. Duties include welcoming and registering blood donors, serving refreshments and monitoring donors for possible adverse reactions. Training is provided. Blood drive volunteers receive a schedule each month and can choose from locations all over Frederick County. 

Nursing

RNs, LPNs, and student nurses can volunteer to help with Safety/Information fairs when blood pressure screening is requested.  Nurses also do administrative work in the office, train to teach classes and to become Disaster responders. 

Instructors for Health & Safety

Health & Safety instructors can teach courses in First Aid, CPR, AED (Automated External Defibrillators), Lifeguarding, Water Safety, HIV/AIDS, and Babysitter's Training after the appropriate instructor training.  Instructor training ranges from 10-30 hours depending on the instructor course. 

Special Event Volunteer

These volunteers help with publicity, set up for the Chapter yard sale, volunteer picnic, volunteer recognition events, Health & Safety fairs and In The Streets.  

Office Volunteer

Answering the phones, filing, data entry, and stamping brochures are just a few of the tasks we are always involved in at the office.