Interested in Volunteering
If you would like to volunteer, please contact the coordinator at:
See Haverhill link below
Anyone who works in community service is a volunteer, so we only have two kinds of staff in the NEMRC - paid volunteer staff and unpaid volunteer staff.
Volunteer applicants should know that we consider the screening process a two way street. While we conduct the required background & credential checks, you should determine if we are capable of providing you with a satisfactory volunteer experience. It is our goal to establish and maintain clear & honest communication with every volunteer staff member, from start to finish.
''''Do I Have To Be A Medical Professional To Join The NEMRC? Absolutely not. We can use a variety of skills !
Do You Screen People’s Qualifications Before Accepting Them as Volunteers
Yes, all NEMRC staff members are carefully screened. Your credentials will be verified. Your knowledge, skills and abilities as well as your interests will be matched to existing needs in the communities we serve. We perform professional & criminal background checks. Finally, we want to familiarize you with the general scope of the responsibilities and risks associated with your future MRC activities so you can make an informed decision about your activities. Your application will be reviewed to ensure its complete. It is more efficient for everyone to verify thorough and accurate information in the beginning.
What Do I Bring To The Information Night Or My Interview?
To expedite the screening process, please bring the usual job interview documentation including:
- Your most recent resume or C.V.
- A list of personal and business references with contact information
- A government issued photo I.D., i.e. driver’s license, RMV ID or U.S. Passport. When we meet we will make 3 copies of your government issued photo id. One each will be attached to the CORI & SORB release forms you will need to sign. The third copy will stay in your personnel file and used for authentication purposes.
Why Do You Collect So Much Information And Why Is There An Interview?
Safety. Everyone’s safety. We will be working with vulnerable populations including children, the elderly, physically handicapped, cognitively impaired, mentally ill, and immigrants to name a few. We abide by the laws and state regulations promulgated to protect them. We screen prospective staff members to assure everyone's safety.
Who Performs The Background Checks?
Professional Human Resource personnel from our host agency perform the CORI checks. The Director or her designee reviews the status of your professional standing with your licensing authority. SORI checks are performed either by law enforcement or using the national data base.
What Happens To All Of That Information?
The information becomes part of your personnel file, portions of which are shared when you deploy with NEMRC to the requesting entity. Shared personnel file information includes the date that you most recently passed the background checks, your professional license expiration or status, limited relevant medical information usually innoculation information, training and emergency contact information.
PLEASE NOTE: The criminal record databases are not foolproof and inaccurate information sometimes is reported. If you believe an error has been made please request an opportunity to challenge the report.
Isn't This A Lot Of Work Just To Volunteer? The answer is yes and no. Yes, it is a lot of work and some units aren't as thorough. We take the safety of NEMRC clients, NEMRC communities and NEMRC volunteers seriously and believe they are worth the extra effort. So, no, it's not too much work. NEMRC membership isn't conferred to everyone who applies. It is conferred to those individuals who, minimally, pass the required background checks and make a commitment to train & serve thereby qualifying them for membership and credentialing.
What Does NEMRC Mean By Credentialing? We issue you two photo IDs or NEMRC credentials. NEMRC credentials are based on your confirmed qualifications and licensing, the background checks, your expected contributions and local law. Consequently, we request documentation and other proof of your stated qualifications at information sessions or during the interview to expedite the credentialing process. Verifying credentials prior to utilization saves time and resources when a disaster or other public health emergency emerges. Past experiences in emergency response efforts (e.g., the September 11 attacks & Katrina) have shown that the complexities of credentialing can critically interfere with prompt and necessary volunteer utilization.’’’
When we meet you will we will make 3 enlarged copies of your government issued photo id (driver’s license, U.S. Passport, etc.) One each will be attached to the CORI & SORB release forms you will need to sign. The third copy will become a permanent part of your personnel file and used for authentication purposes.
Why Don’t You Make a Straight Copy of the Photo ID, Why is it Enlarged? The signature on your drivers license will be compared with the signature on your application & background check documents. We don't want to issue credentials to someone pretending to be you. Increasing the size makes your signature legible and the copy easier to fax when necessary. It is common for people to report to disaster sites pretending to be someone or something they are not so we take great care in this process. An enlarged photo and signature faxes more legibly for verification purposes.
Why Do You Give Us Two Photo Ids? We actually create three, two of which are yours. One ID is kept with you and must be visibly worn at all times when serving with NEMRC. The second credential (ID) is an accountability tag taken with you during all deployments and given to the requesting organization when you arrive. The accountability tag will be used in the event of an emergency to insure you’ve safely evacuated the facility. This prevents needlessly risking fire fighter and other first responder’s lives to find people who have safely left the scene.
What Will We Talk About In The Interview?
During your interview, we will talk about the type of contributions you are most interested in making to the MRC, your availability to train and volunteer as well as your other commitments. Your sense of satisfaction is important to the program and us. A sense that your work matters is correlated with a successful volunteer experience.
We'll discuss the type of activities that interest you and your values, particularly as they relate to community service. We want to be sure we are able to utilize your professional skills. Regardless of how impressive your skills are we may not have the need for the type of work you would like to do. Rather than lose you, we might be able to assist you in realizing other types of work that may support your values.
Many people volunteer to bring an increased sense of meaning and connection to their lives - they want to support a larger purpose. How you contribute may not matter so much as that you contribute. It is important that we respect these preferences as we incorporate your volunteering into NEMRC’s mission and work plan.
Risks and Responsibilities
The intention of this section is not to dissuade prospective volunteers, but to be realistic. Considering these complex issues is intended to reassure volunteer staff that they are joining a responsible organization that takes seriously, the need to protect everyone from unnecessary harm.
While we are determining if you are a good fit for the MRC you will need to decide if this is the type of commitment of time and energy that interests you. Screening works both ways. We do not want people volunteering with false impressions: * You should be aware of the types of duties you might anticipate during utilization.
- There are many optional training opportunities and a few mandatory training requirements
- There are training tabletops and full scale exercise opportunities
- MRC work can be difficult and challenging. NOTE In some cases, staff members will be involved in work that may put themselves or others at risk for harm.
Community Practices
Our MRC unit is working with the state health department to register and credential volunteer health professionals. The state has developed a pre-credentialing program for health care professionals called MSAR or Massachusetts System for Advanced Registration of Volunteer Health Professionals. Recent experience with large-scale disasters has consistently shown that an effective response requires that volunteers be pre-screened, pre-credentialed and deployed to a disaster through a known entity. By jointly registering with MRC and MSAR you can be part of an alert system and response, when activated, to a significant disaster or public health emergency.
Do You Still Think You Have What It Takes? From the start, we choose to foster a culture of no-nonsense, honest, and open communication. It will prove essential to each aspect of your experience with NEMRC, particularly during times of highly coordinated utilization with our response partners. The work is challenging, chaotic and not for the easily frustrated. If you're ready to give back to your fellow Americans, join us.
[https://www.ci.haverhill.ma.us To register to volunteer Visit departments- Emergency Management Agency Then email the coordinator!