Q: What are the steps to become a volunteer with Jefferson County Emergency Management? 

A: The first step in becoming a volunteer with Jefferson County Emergency Management is to sign up on our volunteer management software, Bloomerang (formerly InItLive). Once you complete the sign up, an alert will be sent to the Volunteer Coordinator and you can expect to hear back within three business days with a welcome email! This email will have information regarding your background check, the WAC 118 Familiarization Exam, and the four FEMA Independent Study (IS) courses that are required. 

Please note: The FEMA courses are free, online courses that are self paced. Once completed, the certificates will be sent to your email and can be printed or forwarded. There is no hard deadline to complete these courses, but a volunteer badge will not be issued until the Volunteer Coordinator has a copy of all four certificates. More information on the FEMA courses can be found here Version OptionsEmergency Management Volunteer Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)Headline. 

Q: Can I sign up to volunteer if I am unsure of which program to join? 

A: Absolutely! We encourage everyone who is interested to sign up so they can come in and talk with the volunteer coordinator on what program will be the best fit. 

Q: Can I join multiple volunteer programs? 

A: Yes, the majority of volunteers are signed up for multiple programs. The Bloomerang online sign up allows you to use one sign up process for as many volunteer programs as you like within DEM. However, each individual program may have an additional form for you to fill out in order to learn more information on your background and interests. There is no limit to how many programs you can join, we encourage all volunteers to participate at the level they are comfortable! 

Q: I just signed up to the Bloomerang system, what do I do now? 

A: Thank you for signing up to Volunteer! Expect an email from the Volunteer Coordinator within three business days with information on how to proceed. All Volunteers through the Department of Emergency Management (DEM) are required to register as Emergency Workers and undergo a background check. The authorization form can be found here, or will be provided when you visit our office. 

In addition to the background check, Emergency Workers are required to complete the WAC 118 Familiarization Exam, and four FEMA Independent Study Courses (IS). All of this will be provided to you when you come in to complete your background check, but if you want to get ahead all of the information is available on our Volunteer Homepage! 

Q: What are the benefits of becoming a Registered Emergency Worker?

A: Emergency workers are provided liability, medical, and personal property coverage as well as reimbursement for some incidental expenses while deployed on state-approved incidents and training events.  Full details on the program are contained in Washington Administrative Code (WAC) chapter 118-04 linked here: https://apps.leg.wa.gov/wac/default.aspx?cite=118-04

Since the program provides liability, medical and personal property coverages to our volunteers when they are responding on behalf of DEM becoming a Registered Emergency Worker is required for participation during incidents or trainings. Registration is not required to attend meetings or participate in discussions in order to determine which program the volunteer would like to join. 

Q: Where can I find more information on what FEMA Independent Study (IS) courses I need to take? 

A: Required FEMA IS courses can be found here. If you are looking for direction on additional FEMA courses to take, visit our training webpage.