Community Emergency Response Group ERG Volunteers – Blackburn with Darwen

Community Emergency Response Group ERG Volunteers – Blackburn with Darwen

YOUR COMMUNITY NEEDS YOU!

When an emergency or major incident happens, communities can need extra help.

Flooding, major fires, severe weather, power outages, evacuations and other incidents can have a huge impact on residents. Behind the scenes, the Council needs people who can step up, support communities and help make sure residents get the help they need.

That’s where you could come in.

We are looking for people across Blackburn with Darwen who want to make a real difference and become part of our Community Emergency Response Group Volunteer team.

YOU DON’T NEED TO BE AN EXPERT

You don’t need previous emergency response experience or any qualifications.

We’ll provide you with full training and help you develop the skills you need to volunteer safely and effectively.

If you have particular skills, experience or knowledge that could be useful, we’d love to hear about them, but the most important thing is that you are willing to help your community.

YOUR SAFETY COMES FIRST

Our volunteers will never be sent to the incident scene or put into a dangerous situation.

You will never be expected to deal with an emergency on your own. Volunteers will work as part of a team, with a designated team leader and Council staff providing support.

Your role is to help the Council support residents and communities, not to put yourself in harm’s way.

WHAT COMMITMENT IS INVOLVED?

There is no minimum time commitment.

We’ll keep in touch with you and give you opportunities to attend regular meetings, training sessions and exercises. These are a great way to meet other volunteers, build your confidence and develop new skills.

When an incident happens, we may contact you to ask if you are available to help. This could be during the day, at night or at a weekend.

But there is never an obligation to respond. If you’re unavailable or unable to help, that’s absolutely fine.

COULD YOU HELP?

Emergencies don’t always happen at convenient times, and when they do, having trained people who are ready to support their community can make a huge difference.

You could learn new skills, meet people, take part in realistic exercises and, most importantly, know that you’re helping people when they need it most.

If you’d like to become part of the team, we’d love to hear from you!

Apply online or contact us at:

emergency.volunteers@blackburn.gov.uk

Tasks:

WHAT COULD YOU DO?

As a volunteer, you could play a really important role in helping the Council respond to an emergency. No two incidents are the same, so your role could vary depending on what is happening and what support is needed.

You could help to:

• Support a rest centre, including helping to set it up and welcoming and registering residents.
• Support residents who have been evacuated from their homes.
• Help with door knocking and community engagement during an evacuation.
• Provide practical support to residents who may need additional help.
• Help organise supplies, information and other resources.
• Make brews, provide a friendly face and help create a calm and welcoming environment!
• With additional training and experience, support the Council’s Emergency Control Centre during a major incident.
• Take part in exercises and training to help you develop your skills and confidence.

You could be helping someone who has had to leave their home, supporting a family at a rest centre, helping communicate important information to residents, or simply being there to make a difficult situation a little easier.

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