Goal/ Intended Audience This 15-minute training course is for potential public health volunteers. It will explain why you are an essential part of a successful emergency response and guide you through the process of becoming a volunteer. Course Objectives After successful completion of this course, you will be able to: - Describe various roles volunteers will play in the response to a disaster or other public health emergency. - Describe what training is required to enable a volunteer to function safely and effectively in an emergency response. - List reasons why it is important for an individual who wishes to volunteer to become affiliated with an agency or organization incorporated in disaster response. - Describe issues to consider when choosing an agency or organization with which to affiliate. - Describe DMATs, the MRC, and various VOLAGs, in general and in reference to the types of volunteers needed and the type of commitment required. - Explain the importance of only registering as a volunteer with one agency or organization. - Describe how potential volunteers are screened and how you can facilitate the process. - Describe how credentialing and liability issues work in terms of volunteers in an emergency response and the benefits of health care professionals registering with ESAR-VHP. - Describe important steps to take in your personal and professional life before you are deployed as a volunteer.