SIDNEY — The Montana Red Cross will offer free disaster-response training Sept. 15-16 in Sidney, giving community members and organizations an opportunity to learn how to help during emergencies such as wildfires, floods and evacuations.
The training will be held at the Sidney Volunteer Fire Department, 1105 3rd St. N.W., from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day.
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The Sept. 15 session, Shelter Fundamentals, will focus on how emergency shelters are established and operated during a disaster. Participants will learn about registering shelter residents, setting up shelter layouts, providing meals and helping meet immediate needs.
The Sept. 16 session, Damage Assessment Fundamentals, will cover how Red Cross teams evaluate property damage following a disaster using Federal Emergency Management Agency guidelines. Participants will learn how damage is assessed and documented following an emergency.
Matthew Ochsner, regional communications director for the American Red Cross, said the trainings are designed to give participants a better understanding of what happens when a Red Cross shelter is opened and how communities can support people affected by a disaster.
“These two days of training really just about to show people what goes into opening a Red Cross shelter and then how the community can support families once that shelter is open,” Ochsner said. “It's really focused on neighbors helping neighbors during times of disaster.”
Ochsner said the trainings are important because disaster response requires cooperation between Red Cross volunteers and the communities they serve.
“When the call comes in to open a Red Cross shelter, disaster response is a team effort,” Ochsner said. “We count on our volunteers, but we also count on the support of our communities to answer the call when an emergency happens.”
The sessions are intended for organizations that could provide space for an emergency shelter and individuals interested in becoming Red Cross disaster volunteers.
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“Disasters can happen anywhere, and it takes local partnerships and volunteers to ensure families have a safe place to turn and a warm meal during a crisis,” said Samantha Samples, who oversees Red Cross disaster response in Eastern Montana. “Whether you're part of an organization that could serve as a shelter site or someone looking for a meaningful way to help your community, this training will show you how you can make a difference.”
Ochsner said the Red Cross currently has a small volunteer team in the Richland County area and hopes the training will strengthen its local disaster-response network.
“It would be great if we had 5 or 10 or even more volunteers step up and raise their hand to help during disasters,” Ochsner said.
About 90% of the Red Cross workforce across Montana consists of volunteers, Ochsner said, making community volunteers an important part of the organization's ability to respond when disasters occur.
Volunteers do not have to live in Richland County to assist with disaster response there. People from neighboring counties can volunteer, and Red Cross volunteers may travel to communities based on where they are needed.
Ochsner said the organization also can work with Red Cross teams in North Dakota to coordinate volunteers who live across the state line.
Participants do not need prior experience and can attend either session independently or both for a broader understanding of disaster response. The in-person format will include hands-on activities, including setting up cots and learning how shelters are organized.
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Registration is encouraged because lunch will be provided. Those interested can register at redcross.org/sidneytraining or contact Samples at 406-599-5709. The training is free.
For those unable to attend the September sessions, additional training opportunities are expected in the future. Ochsner said some training also can be offered virtually.
The Red Cross also offers volunteer opportunities beyond disaster shelters and damage assessment, including positions that can be performed from home. One example is a duty officer, who helps coordinate Red Cross response when incidents such as home fires are reported.
People interested in other volunteer opportunities can contact Samples or visit Montana Red Cross' website and select the volunteer section.
The Sidney training provides an opportunity for residents, organizations and community groups to learn more about disaster response while strengthening the area's ability to assist residents during an emergency.
“This is a great opportunity to come out and learn more about what the Red Cross does during a disaster,” Ochsner said. “It could be someone who is maybe interested in volunteering. It could be a church or a school or a community group that maybe is interested in providing a Red Cross shelter facility and wants to learn more about that process.”