title: Emergency preparedness volunteer training program.
abstract: The Vermont Department of Health (VDH) does not have sufficient personnel to fully staff a mass prophylaxis or vaccination clinic in response to a natural or man-made disease outbreak. Therefore, the VDH developed an emergency preparedness volunteer training program with three primary goals: to include both background information about public health and emergency preparedness and a hands-on training for clinic volunteers; to be adaptable for both community and healthcare professional volunteers; and to examine local emergencies and the VDH public health response to these events. Major components of the training program include basic public health goals and capacities; an introduction to emergency preparedness; a role-playing exercise using Job Action Sheets to simulate "just-in-time" training; and guidance for personal and family preparedness. The VDH has experienced difficulty finding and recruiting volunteers. To increase the potential volunteer pool, it will be implementing a multifaceted training program (on-line, through the mail, in person) to most effectively engage volunteers with varying interests and learning styles. The VDH must also develop a system to maintain regular contact with volunteers and clarify regulations regarding their scope of practice and liability.
authors.affiliation: Division of Community Public Health, Vermont Department of Health, 108 Cherry Street, Burlington, VT 05402, USA. amatthe@vdh.state.vt.us
authors.forename: Amanda K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Matthews
authors.forename: Kristin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sprague
authors.forename: Eileen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Girling
authors.forename: Lynne
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dapice
authors.forename: Mary Val
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Palumbo
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Berry
mesh_terms: D004189:Disaster Planning / Q000379:methods* / Q000458:organization & administration; D004509:Education, Nursing, Continuing / Q000458:organization & administration*; D040381:Education, Public Health Professional / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D014707:Vermont; D014838:Volunteers / Q000193:education*