Community Emergency Response Volunteer – Blackburn with Darwen

Community Emergency Response Volunteer – Blackburn with Darwen

Due to the nature of this role, applicants must live in the Blackburn with Darwen area.

Communities come in all shapes and sizes and we are looking for people with a passion for making their communities safer and to be prepared in the event of an emergency situation, being able to provide support to the emergency services if required.

Community Resilience is about empowering individuals, businesses and community groups to:

• Take collective action to both increase their own resilience and that of others
• Come together to identify and support vulnerable individuals
• Take responsibility for the promotion of individual and business resilience

Sign up to help your community in case there is ever a big local emergency – such as severe weather or a large fire.

Community Emergency Response Volunteers (CERV) can help by:

• Being aware of the risks that your community might face
• Having an emergency contacts list for your group so you can keep in touch during an emergency event
• Identifying which members of your community might be vulnerable in an emergency, and be prepared to offer assistance if required
• Developing, or helping to develop, a basic emergency plan for your community which would include key emergency contacts, local contacts who may have skills and equipment that could support an emergency response

You don’t need any experience to be a CERV, we will give you any necessary support and training to do your role. You will also be provided with details on how you can support Civil Contingencies Service (CSS) and the Emergency Services and we can support you.

Tasks:

• Act as a key point of contact to receive and cascade information from BwD Civil Contingencies Services and emergency services and other CERV members
• Signpost any potential emergency / risk issues to CCS
• Promote personal community resilience within the communities
• Develop ‘Community Emergency Response Plan’s’ with the assistance from CCS
• Encouragement to sign up to various organisations information especially the Met Office and Environment Agency

Required Qualities:

• Passion for your community
• Caring approach in order to support any vulnerable members of the community
• Good communication and interpersonal skills – links to individual professionals, equipment and resources within the community
• An emergency may happen during anti-social hours and we may need your support, however you must be confident in being able to say no if you cannot support
• If you would naturally feel the urge to help during a major emergency – this would be ideal for you