Q: What is a VRC?
A: The VRC is a Volunteer Reception Center for disasters. The VRC prequalifies volunteers for organized efforts for local disaster response, such as hurricanes, floods, fires, etc. in Hernando County. The purpose of this initiative is to help ensure the readiness of the community to manage un-affiliated volunteers in the aftermath of disaster through community collaboration, planning, training and exercising of emergency procedures. The program was designed to build new alliances between volunteer managers and a variety of emergency management, first responder and community organizations.
Q: Why do we need a VRC?
A: We need a VRC for several reasons:
- It provides a single specific location for volunteers to gather at, rather than several spontaneous and random locations; this reduces confusion and saves time and resources.
- Having a location improves the communication process between agencies and organizations needing volunteers, and those providing volunteers.
- It also increases the flow of accurate information between the volunteers, agencies and organizations.
- Having a single location and process for managing volunteers eliminates the chaos that comes when volunteers are confused about where to report, what they need to do to be allowed into the site, and what specific job they are needed most for at that time.
Q: Where is the VRC located?
A: This location has not been determined as of yet, since we are not in an emergency situation. However, it would be posted on United Way of Hernando County's website, on 211, as well as communicated on a county level through our partners after a disaster and after Hernando County's Emergency Management instructs United Way to activate the VRC.
