• Planning and preparation are vital for emergency operations center volunteers.emergency sign image by max blain from Fotolia.com
  
  In emergency situations, emergency operations center volunteers are crucial to maintaining public order and safety. Because volunteers must keep level heads and act quickly, it is important that they know exactly what to do when they arrive at the emergency operations center. A detailed list of necessary actions promotes volunteer efficiency and effectiveness.
  
  

Request a Briefing

• Upon arriving at the emergency operations center, the first task of a volunteer is to request a briefing of the situation. While it may seem to be a waste of time when other tasks need to be handled, a briefing is necessary to ensure that all volunteers are up to date on the safety and progress of the emergency operations center. Volunteers are better equipped to proceed to their next task if they have an idea of who else is on duty, the problems or issues the center is facing, and what actions are planned for the immediate future.
  
  

Find Out Where to Report

• After receiving a briefing, volunteers must determine where they are needed. Ideally, volunteer tasks are assigned in advance, but last-minute changes or sudden emergencies could make on-site assessments necessary. Volunteers may be asked to take charge of the reception area, phones, supply area, or to serve as runners between different posts. In addition to knowing the specifics of their job and the length of time they are expected to serve, volunteers need to know whom to report to if problems or questions arise. They must also determine the resource needs for their area.
  
  

Learn Center Organization

• Before going to their assigned post, volunteers must have a good understanding of not only the physical layout of the emergency operations center, but also the organization of other volunteers and staff. A walk through the entire center allows volunteers to locate all exits, supplies, and to have a better idea of the center layout. They can also see what other volunteers are currently on duty and in what positions. Volunteers must locate all necessary supplies for their area so that they know where to go if they need to restock. By knowing the organization of the emergency operations center, volunteers are better equipped to answer questions from the public.
  
  

Fulfill Volunteer Task

• After all preparations have been made, volunteers work in their assigned position for a pre-determined amount of time. They maintain all supplies and replenish them if necessary. Volunteers must also keep an accurate log of their experience and note anything important that occurs. For example, a volunteer in charge of phone response would note important calls. A volunteer in charge of distributing supplies to the public would note any potential supply shortages so they can be addressed long before a problem develops. Before leaving their posts even briefly for breaks, volunteers need to make sure that there is someone to replace them. Upon completing their service, volunteers must follow any established exit protocol. This protocol may include organizing their work area, signing out, returning volunteer badges and explaining their position to incoming volunteers.