What We Do

Volunteer Southern Arizona is active in all 4 phases of the disaster cycle: preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation.

Maintain a database of volunteers who are willing to help in the case of a disaster, along with the skills and specialized certifications they possess. In a disaster, we can recruit these and other volunteers to help local agencies expand their volunteer capacity. Click here to add your skills to our list. Volunteers register at a Volunteer Reception Center.

Volunteers register at a Volunteer Reception Center.

In the event of a large disaster, we can open a Volunteer Reception Center (VRC) to screen, train, and place spontaneous volunteers. In disaster situations, people come forward to help. Without a system for processing them, not only can their skills and talents be lost, but they can actually get in the way of professional responders. VRC's allow us to use the talents of spontaneous volunteers.

We are the lead agency for volunteer management in Pima County’s emergency plan. Along with HandsOn Greater Phoenix, we are also the lead agency for volunteer coordination designated by the Arizona Department of Emergency Management (ADEM) for spontaneous unaffiliated volunteers in all state-declared disasters.

We train all national service members (AmeriCorps and Americorps*VISTA) in the region in Volunteer Reception Center set-up and operation, mass area/sheltering, and PR/first aid so that they will be an available resource in the event of an emergency.

We are an active participant in the Southern Arizona Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (SOAZ-VOAD). Please visit the SoAZ VOAD website at http://soazvoad.org.

We provide technical assistance to nearby communities in volunteer management and disaster response.

What You Can Do

Get Trained. If you want to be of real use in a disaster, you need to think about it before the disasater strikes. Sign up for training and get affiliated with a relief agency now so that when something happens, you can get to work as part of a team.

American Red Cross From basic first aid to advanced sheltering and casework, the nation’s best-known relief organization trains volunteers to serve as part of Disaster Action Teams.

Community Emergency Response Teams are groups of citizens who undergo training in topics including fire safety, light search and rescue, emergency medical operations, and disaster psychology to be prepared to meet their own needs and assist in their communities in times of disaster.

Medical Reserve Corps An organization of practicing and retired doctors, nurses, and other health professionals who are prepared to help their communities in times of disaster.

Some places of worship have disaster response programs.

Many other local agencies play roles in disaster response. See the SoAzVOAD page for a list of local organizations that participate in disaster response and recovery.

Register your skills in our disaster skill bank so we’ll know we can call you if we need help in a disaster. Be sure to include any licenses and certifications you have.

Donate to a disaster relief agency. Cash donations are always preferred. Donate to a reputable agency. If you wish to donate goods instead, call first to find out exactly what is needed. Donated goods need people to transport them, sort through them and deliver them, and in a disaster, these resources often aren’t available. Cash donations help agencies meet the real needs of victims as quickly as possible.