Help Respond to Local Disasters with the Red Cross

Are you a compassionate, calm, and team-oriented person who wants to help local families cope with emergencies? 
 
Disaster Action Team (DAT) Specialists aid people in their community by responding to the scene of local disasters (such as home fires or floods) with the Red Cross. They provide comfort and support by meeting any immediate needs such as food, shelter, clothing, or supplies and connecting them to long-term recovery services.

Helps respond to local disasters all over the Portland, OR area.

You’ll also need to meet these important qualifications: 

• Reliable access to a smart phone or tablet with ability to access cellular data. 

• Have a valid driver’s license OR a timely, reliable way to get to a disaster scene. 

• Be available to respond reliably to local disasters during scheduled on-call shifts. 

• Ability to work in challenging and stressful conditions such as poor air quality, uneven ground, adverse weather, etc. 

• Ability to listen actively and work well with others 

• Ability to acquire, evaluate, and report information accurately 

Why is this position so important? 

Most of the 60,000 emergencies that the Red Cross responds to each year are local, personal disasters like home fires. They may not make the news, but we know they are just as devastating to the families affected. Trained and available, Disaster Action Team volunteers are ready to respond to these emergencies, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. From offering a shoulder to cry on, to meeting any immediate needs for shelter or supplies, to connecting people with long term recovery services, our volunteers ensure that families don’t have to face tough times alone. 

To get started, click HERE to go to the Disaster Action Team (DAT) Specialist page and click, "Apply Now".

You will then be prompted to create a Volunteer Connection account. Once your account is created, you can officially begin your online volunteer application!

After completing the initial steps, a representative from your local Red Cross Unit will contact you for additional details and instructions.