DPH Volunteer Training Day 2025

This one hour interactive course provides a high-level introduction to basic shelter operations. This course was developed in collaboration with MEMA, MA Department of Public Health, DelValle Institute, American Red Cross, Salvation Army, and the Western Region Homeland Security Council to provide a common vision and guiding principles to improve shelter coordination, support, and information sharing across the Commonwealth.

Main Topics Covered in this Course Include:

1. Defining a Shelter
2. Types of Shelters
3. Roles and Responsibilities
4. Operational Guidelines

This one hour interactive course provides a high-level introduction to basic shelter operations. This course was developed in collaboration with MEMA, MA Department of Public Health, DelValle Institute, American Red Cross, Salvation Army, and the Western Region Homeland Security Council to provide a common vision and guiding principles to improve shelter coordination, support, and information sharing across the Commonwealth.

Main Topics Covered in this Course Include:

1. Defining a Shelter
2. Types of Shelters
3. Roles and Responsibilities
4. Operational Guidelines

In the moments after a disaster, the experience prior to the arrival of First Responders is uncharted time. In this Disaster Gap, both trained and untrained Spontaneous Responders step up and do their best amidst an unstable scene and at their own personal risk. This interval has the potential to save lives and yet it is not taught in our first aid classes, not evaluated, and not optimized. Neither first responder nor bystander, spontaneous responders in the Disaster Gap have the power to save lives, improve preparedness, and foster resiliency and recovery.
This lecture will differentiate spontaneous responders from both bystanders and First Responders. It will serve as a call to action to change the way we teach about disasters and propose adding a Gap Report to After Action Reports.

Objectives:
1. Discuss the significance of the gap between the moment of an incident and the arrival of dispatched First Responders.
2. Describe the meaning of the term disaster gap as it relates to major emergency events.
3. Evaluate your own personal level of preparedness should you find yourself in the Disaster Gap and list 2-3 three actionable steps that you could implement.