Basic Disaster Courses

Introduction to Disaster Services

Introduction to Disaster Services is a prerequisite for all disaster training. (Offered online)   Do not forget to print and keep your personalized survey.

Pre-requisite: Chapter orientation  

Collaborating to Ensure Effective Service Delivery

12 hour course - no fee

The purpose of this course is to prepare participants to build and maintain collaborative relationships designed to enhance the community’s ability to respond to disaster.

Pre-Requisite: Introduction to Disaster Services

Community Disaster Education Workshop

7 1/2 hour course - no fee

The purpose of the workshop is to prepare you to plan for delivery of quality Community Disaster Education presentations by providing background information and support.  The workshop provides information on ways to overcome disaster denials issues, to motivate individuals and family disaster preparedness actions.  It does not teach platform presentation skills; rather, it focuses on how to choose appropriate messages for target audiences and selecting materials that convey those messages.

Pre-requisite: Experience in public speaking

Community Services Overview

3 hour course - no fee

This training provides basic information about the activities of the Community Services function. Participants will learn about the skills and abilities needed by Community Services workers and how they can get started in their local chapter.

Pre-requisite: Introduction to Disaster Services

Defensive Driving

2 hour course– no fee

The purpose of this course is to learn how to avoid having traffic accidents. This course is required to be taken by all American Red Cross Volunteers and Paid Staff whom will operate any Red Cross Vehicle.

Pre-requisite: Valid driver’s license

Disaster Action Team (DAT) Orientation

3 hour course - no fee

This workshop prepares individuals to become part of the Disaster Action Team, which responds to local disasters such as house fires and floods 24/7, 365 days a year. Students will receive information on the use of Red Cross Emergency Vehicles, Radios and Nextel Communications.

Pre-requisite: Introduction to Disaster Services

Disaster Assessment Workshop ITS

3 hour course - no fee

The purpose of this interim training is to provide an overview of the new and revised concepts, procedures, tools and resources contained in the recently released Disaster Assessment (ARC 30-3049) document. This workshop will enable chapter disaster leadership and Disaster Assessment workers to begin to incorporate these concepts into planning, training and response activities.

Pre-Requisite: Introduction to Disaster Services

Disaster Health Services: An Overview

3 1/2 hour course - no fee

This training provides basic information about the activities of the Disaster Health Services (DHS) function of the American Red Cross. Participants will learn more about what various knowledge, skill and abilities are needed by DHS staff as well as how they can get involved in their local chapter.

Pre-requisite: Introduction to Disaster Services (open to all disaster volunteers)

Disaster Health Services Simulation

8 hour course – no fee

The purpose of this training is to provide participants an opportunity to practice the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to work in the Disaster Health Services function on a disaster relief operation. This course completes basic Disaster Services preparation to work in Disaster Health Services (DHS) on local and national relief operations.

Pre-Requisite: Introduction to Disaster Services and Disaster Health Services: An Overview

Disaster Kitchen Training

16 hour course – no fee

The purpose of this course is to prepare Red Cross and partner agency staff to work at a kitchen site and prepare large numbers of meals for those affected by a disaster. Activities at a kitchen site include: preparing the food in the kitchen and working in the yard/supply area and mobile feeding area, if needed.

Pre-Requisite: Introduction to Disaster Services and Community Services

Disaster Mental Health: An Overview

3 hour course - no fee

The purpose of this course is to help participants understand the Disaster Mental Health Service (DMHS) function within the American Red Cross Disaster Services Program.  Participants will learn how Disaster Mental Health Services support disaster relief workers and people affected by disasters.  

Pre-requisite: Introduction to Disaster Services 

Disaster Welfare Information: Connecting Your Community

3 hour course - no fee

The purpose of this training is to prepare participants to handle Disaster Welfare Information in their local chapters. Participants will learn how to provide effective service, transmit an inquiry to the Disaster Welfare Information function on a disaster relief operation, and conduct follow-up to ensure that the inquirer’s needs are met.

Pre-Requisite: Introduction to Disaster Services

Disaster Welfare Information Simulation

3.5 hour course – no fee

The purpose of this training is to prepare participants to work as team members

Disaster Welfare Information (DWI) function on a disaster relief operation.

Pre-Requisite: Introduction to Disaster Services and Disaster Welfare Information: Connecting Your Community

Emergency Operations Center/Incident Command Liaison

8 hour course – no fee

The purpose of this basic Disaster Services course is to prepare Red Cross volunteers and employees who will be assigned to government and emergency settings to work collaboratively with Red Cross partners, helping to ensure a coordinated response that results in effective service delivery.

Pre-Requisite: Collaborating to Ensure Effective Service Delivery and Sufficient operations knowledge and experience to provide a functional understanding of the concepts, principles and procedures associated with disaster assessment, sheltering, feeding, the provision of individual assistance and the basics of operations management needed to adequately participate in the discussions and activities contained in this course.

ERV: Ready, Set, Roll

8 hours - no fee

The purpose of this course is to prepare Red Cross paid and volunteer staff to safely and effectively use an emergency response vehicle (ERV) and its equipment to meet feeding and other service needs of the people affected by a disaster. Participants must complete both the ERV orientation and road test portions of this course to receive a certificate. In addition to this course -a defensive driving class is required to drive the ERV on a national disaster assignment.

Pre-requisite: Introduction to Disaster Services, valid driver's license, satisfactory Department of Motor Vehicle (DMV) report and Defensive Driving Course certificate, Community Services and First Aid/ CPR Certification.

Family Services: Providing Emergency Assistance

8 hour course - no fee

This course is designed to enable Red Cross disaster workers to explain and deliver emergency assistance to victims. The course reviews the basic Red Cross forms used to deliver assistance and helps develop key interviewing skills.

Pre-Requisite: Introduction to Disaster Services

Financial and Statistical Information Management

4.5 hour course – no fee

The purpose of this basic-level Disaster Services course is to prepare Red Cross volunteers and employees to perform the tasks of a Financial & Statistical Information Management (FSI) service associate on a disaster relief operation.

Pre-Requisite: Introduction to Disaster Services and Family Services: Providing Emergency Assistance

Foundations of Disaster Mental Health

8 hour course – no fee

The purpose of this basic level Disaster Services training is to prepare licensed mental health professionals to provide for and respond to the psychological needs of people.

Pre-Requisite: Mental health professional with a current state license include: Counselor • Marriage and Family Therapist • Psychiatrist • Psychologist • A registered nurse (RN) with psychiatric nursing experience and training beyond the normal rotation required for a RN. • Social Worker

Recommended: Introduction to Disaster Services, Working With Total Diversity and Family Services: Providing Emergency Assistance to Families

Fundamentals of Instruction and Facilitation

3 hour self-study

The purpose of this self study course is to provide basic information about the skills, abilities, and knowledge needed to become a Basic and Intermediate instructor and facilitator for the American Red Cross Disaster Services Training System. Participants will learn how to represent the Red Cross, what functions and methods are used by effective instructors, and how to prepare for, conduct, and evaluate Disaster Services training courses and simulations.

Pre-Requisite: Introduction to Disaster Services and three [3] other Basic Disaster Training Courses

Human Resources in Disaster

3.5 hour course – no fee

The purpose of this training is to provide basic information about the activities and processes of the Local Disaster Volunteers, Staffing, and Training functions in support of an American Red Cross disaster relief operation. Participants will learn how to deliver and support sufficient and effective human resources on a disaster relief operation.

Pre-Requisite: Introduction to Disaster Services

Logistics: An Overview & Simulation

7 hour course - no fee

This course (an overview and simulation) is designed to train participants to identify resources to meet the supply and logistics requirements for chapters and disaster operations.

Pre-requisite: Introduction to Disaster Services

Logistics During a Weapons of Mass Destruction/Terrorism Incident

4 hour course – no fee

The purpose of this course is to provide Red Cross paid and volunteer Chapter/station/Blood Services Region logistics staff the knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA) that enable them to prepare for and support Red Cross services during a weapon of mass destruction/terrorism (WMD/T) incident within their chapter’s jurisdiction.

Pre-Requisite: Logistics: An Overview, Logistics Simulation and WMD: An Overview

Mass Casualty Disasters

8 hour course – no fee

The purpose of this course is to prepare Red Cross employees and volunteers to provide a more effective initial response to a mass casualty disaster.

Pre-Requisite: Introduction to Disaster Services and experience responding to a large disaster either within the community or preferably on a DSHR assignment.

Public Affairs in Disaster I

6 1/2 hour course - no fee

The purpose of this course is to assist Red Cross paid/volunteer staff in working with the Public Affairs function on a local disaster relief operation and to initiate the Public Affairs functions on a State of Major disaster relief operation.

Pre-requisite: Introduction to Disaster Services

Public Speaking Workshop

8 hour course –no fee

The workshop is designed to (1) increase participants’ ability to be effective public speakers on behalf of the Red Cross, (2) develop participants’ knowledge of the core concepts of public speaking, and (3) introduce participants to techniques for developing public speaking ability: The workshop covers how to plan and deliver presentations and key factors that affect overall public speaking performance. Participant exercises are a significant part of the workshop.

Pre-Requisite: A desire to make effective presentations to the public about the Red Cross and its programs and services and to actively participate in class exercises and performance critiques.

Shelter Operations

4 hour course - no fee

This course prepares Red Cross and other agencies’ staff to effectively and sensitively manage shelter operations as a team, to meet the needs of people displaced as a result of disaster.

Pre-requisite: Introduction to Disaster Services and Community Services

Shelter Simulation

4 hour course - no fee

This course is a table-top exercise in which participants work in teams to open, operate and close a typical shelter operation. This basic disaster course provides participants an opportunity to practice the knowledge and skills learned in Shelter Operations.

Pre-Requisite: Introduction to Disaster Services, Community Services and Shelter Operations

Weapons of Mass Destruction/Terrorism: An Overview

3.5 hour course – no fee

The purpose of this course is to provide basic information about the issues and safety concerns in performing our work in an environment involving a Weapons of Mass Destruction and/or Terrorism (WMD/T) incident. Participants will learn about the skills, abilities, and knowledge needed by disaster workers performing duties in this environment.