Author: Stephanie A. Mayberry
Disaster relief jobs are popular with RVers but finding those jobs isn’t always easy. This guide will give you some great resources and information on how to find jobs in disaster relief with FEMA as well as other companies.
Finding Disasters
If you are going to do disaster relief work, then you need to be able to find disasters. There are a couple of ways you can do this. When I worked for FEMA we watched the weather channel – called it our “job board.” By simply keeping up with the weather you can get an idea of where you may be needed. However, you also need to understand how the system works.
Related Read: Staying Safe When the Rain Comes Down or Weather Turns Severe
If you are looking for FEMA related jobs you want to make sure that the disaster has a presidential declaration of disaster (this is different from a state of emergency which is declared by the governor of the state) and that FEMA has been asked to respond. Contrary to popular belief, FEMA does not automatically respond when there is a disaster. The state has to request assistance. FEMA also does not “take over” in the disaster; the state still calls the shots. FEMA is there to support the state.
Related Read: Severe Weather and You!
During the response stage it may be difficult to determine whether there has been a declaration or not. You can check the state’s official government page as well as FEMA’s disaster declarations list. It is updated regularly and once there has been a declaration it will be on the list within hours. At that point you can start looking, but it may be a few days before the hiring starts for many jobs.
ReliefWeb is another site that lists disasters all over the world. You can find out about jobs, training, and resources for disasters all over the world. Even if you aren’t looking for disaster jobs it is still very interesting to browse the site.
Home Inspector for FEMA
When FEMA responds to a disaster they often need people to do inspection of the affected homes. Their assessment of the damage is what FEMA uses to determine if applicants qualify for assistance as well as how much and the type of assistance they will receive. These are contractor positions and the agency uses two companies for FEMA home inspections. You must go through the companies themselves to find job opportunities:
Disaster Relief Job Boards
There are several job boards that list disaster relief jobs. You will need to do a search and it probably helps if you know where you want to go. You can also just search Disaster Relief Jobs or Disaster Jobs and get a list of all jobs everywhere. The top disaster relief job boards are (some may overlap):
Look for FEMA Jobs
You can look directly on the agency website to see if any jobs are listed in the area where you want to work. USAJobs also lists federal jobs. They will list the region specific, temporary jobs so this could be a good resource. The jobs do tend to be long term from a couple of months to a couple of years – and they can always be extended (I was deployed to Washington, D.C. for a two-week special project and stayed there for six months). Always be prepared to be “FEMA flexible.”
Get Your Foot in the Door by Volunteering
If you don’t have practical experience in the tasks required for disaster response and recovery, the best way to get it is to volunteer. Signing on with a voluntary agency and giving your time to help will give you invaluable experience and help you decide if that is what you really want to do. It isn’t easy work, but it is very fulfilling.
Once you have a location in mind, google the state’s VOAD – Voluntary Organizations Active in a Disaster. For instance, if you want to help with the Louisiana flooding you would type in “Louisiana VOAD.” You will be able to see the voluntary agencies in that state that respond to disasters.
The American Red Cross has volunteer opportunities as well as paid opportunities.
Related Read: Road Work: How I Make a Living on the Road
Are You Cut Out for Disaster Work?
Disaster jobs are definitely not glamorous. You will work very long, grueling hours in an often austere work environment. You might not have power or running water, you very likely will be working with people who have suffered incredible loss, even loss of a loved one. You will see things that will impact you, stick with you forever.
My first disaster with FEMA was Hurricane Katrina. It changed me forever. My title was Special Projects and I was the Media Coordinator. I was responsible for all live media briefings, press conferences, and media events that came out of Louisiana from September 2005 until June 2006. I also surveyed areas for events and talked to survivors to get a feel for what information they needed. I felt so small.
To this day I carry so many peoples’ stories with me. I can close my eyes and see all the images of that time flood my mind. Most of my co-workers at the time were very seasoned. They told me that Katrina was not the disaster to cut my teeth on. It was tough. There’s a reason the agency placed counselors in our Joint Field Office (JFO) and gave us round -the-clock access to them.
Before you take the plunge, make sure that you can handle it. This work sticks with you. It is awesome though. There is nothing in the world like helping others.
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