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Hi all,
As we begin transitioning to recovery for this flooding incident—which may involve a significant need for volunteers—I wanted to share a few reminders regarding the use of volunteer emergency workers.
Many of you have been using your locally registered volunteers to their fullest extent throughout this event, which is great to see. If you need additional support that could be filled by emergency workers registered in neighboring jurisdictions (such as CERT, SAR, MRC, or others), please ensure these requests are made emergency management to emergency management. Additionally, notify the State Alert and Warning Center that you will be utilizing those volunteers under the state mission number for this incident. I’m happy to help facilitate these requests—just give me a call.
If you are contacted directly by individuals or teams identifying themselves as emergency workers registered in another jurisdiction, please direct them to communicate their availability through their registering official. Offers of support should be channeled emergency management to emergency management, and responding volunteers must have authorization from their authorizing officials.
As needs arise, you may also temporarily register volunteers as emergency workers. Instructions for temporary registration can be found in WAC 118-04-080. Please remember that, as authorized officials, you are responsible for appropriately vetting and tasking these emergency workers in a prudently safe manner (WAC 118-04-180). Because of this responsibility, I recommend using temporary registration for targeted tasks that remain fully within emergency management’s scope and span of control.
If you are coordinating a large number of volunteers who will be supporting other agencies within your jurisdiction, I recommend working with your local VOAD partners to assist with coordination. If you have questions about VOADs or do not have local VOAD availability, please reach out to the SEOC’s ESF 6—they are happy to support.
Current ESF 6 Contacts:
Primary: Lewis Lujan – 253-512-7138 – lewis.lujan@mil.wa.gov
Alternate: Justice Gilbert – 253-512-7403 – justice.gilbert@mil.wa.gov
As always, please ensure all volunteer emergency worker hours are documented on a 078 form (or equivalent).
Thank you!
Amy Allbritton (she/her)
Search and Rescue Program Manager
Emergency Management Division | Washington Military Department
Mobile: (253) 213-2764| amy.allbritton@mil.wa.gov
24/7 Alert and Warning Center SAR: (888) 849-2727
www.mil.wa.gov/search-and-rescue-sar-program
Typical Office Hours: Tues-Fri 7:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
To receive communications from Washington EMD on SAR and the Emergency Worker Program, please sign up for GovDelivery here.
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