Across the UK, our trained volunteers respond to hundreds of emergencies – including transport accidents, evacuations, floods and fires – every year. Would you like to be there when someone needs it most?
How would I be helping people?
As an emergency response volunteer you would help people in need and have a special role to play in supporting the emergency services. Your role could include:
- helping set up and run rest centres
- providing first aid or transport assistance
- offering practical and emotional support during a major incident.
What skills and training do I need?
You need to have good interpersonal, communication and teamwork skills.
We will give you the training you need providing emotional support and major incident training. You could also receive training to develop your skills in a specialist area, including communications, first aid, team leadership and ambulance support.
How much time do I need to give up?
You and your volunteering manager will discuss how much time you are able to give. Since our volunteering opportunities depend on local needs, some areas may need volunteers more regularly or for longer hours than others. If one of our services requires more time than you are able to give, we may have other volunteering opportunities that fit your schedule.
Why are volunteers needed?
Without volunteers we would never be able to give people the help they need in a crisis. Because we offer so many services across the UK, we depend on people who generously give up their time to help others.
How do I apply?
You can search and apply online for emergency response volunteering opportunities. You can also talk to a service manager about current opportunities near you.
True story: Volunteers help during Gloucestershire floods
When thousands of residents in Gloucester found their running water cut off because of floods in July 2007, British Red Cross emergency response volunteers mounted a massive relief operation.
Using boats, ambulances and a high-rise all-terrain vehicle, the volunteers spent weeks delivering bottled water straight to the doors of vulnerable people. People like June Young, one of a hundred pensioners living in a mobile home park.
June’s daughter Jeannette explained: “These people are housebound and couldn’t get out to find water. Some of them are diabetic. I called the Red Cross on Monday night and volunteers took water down twice on Tuesday to make sure the residents had enough.”
The Red Cross volunteers did not forget about the pensioners after the first drop-off. Several days later the residents got another supply of water to last them five days.
Jeannette said: “The Red Cross was brilliant. They were the only people we could get through to and who responded to the needs of the residents of the mobile home site.”
June agreed: “All the residents here were so happy to know there are people out there thinking about us, and you were here so fast we couldn’t believe it.
“We just can’t thank you enough.”
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