Volunteer

Help us prepare for and respond to emergencies.

Interested in being of service to our community during emergencies? Join the NOLA Ready Volunteer Corps: we've got lots of opportunities for volunteers with a range of skills.

Wondering what the NOLA Ready Volunteer Corps is all about? Watch the video above to see what volunteers can get involved with, and what you need to know before volunteering with us.

Click here to sign up!

The NOLA Ready Volunteer Corps helps build a culture of preparedness and resilience, supporting first responders, community partners, and residents in disaster response and recovery efforts. NOLA Ready Corps volunteers are part of a team working to meet residents' needs before, during, and after emergencies. NOLA Ready Corps volunteers can receive training in hurricane preparedness, City-Assisted Evacuation, shelter operations, pet evacuation and sheltering, flood recovery, and more. The NOLA Ready Volunteer Corps is managed by the New Orleans Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness. As a NOLA Ready volunteer, you will work with the City of New Orleans to assist the public to respond and recover from emergencies and disasters of all kinds, including:

Emergency Shelter Operations

City-Assisted Evacuation

Hurricane Call Center Operations

Public Safety and Public Health Exercises

Pet Evacuation & Sheltering

Mardi Gras

Public Health & First Aid

Flood Clean Up

Disaster Recovery

Online Trainings

Because NOLA Ready volunteering is emergency and disaster based, volunteer opportunities are not regularly scheduled. When volunteer opportunities become available, we'll reach out. In the meantime, train up with us virtually in advance, and be ready to jump in when disaster strikes. Need an account to take these trainings? Create one here, then click the link again.

First, take our NOLA Ready Volunteer Corps Orientation. Then take any of the on-demand trainings below.

NOLA Ready Volunteer Corps Orientation

This orientation is an overview about volunteering with the NOLA Ready Volunteer Corps. You'll get an introduction to NOLA Ready, learn about NOLA Ready Volunteer Corps policies, and (virtually) meet some public health & public safety official personnel. Lastly, we'll go over how to get involved and how to sign up for volunteer shifts.

Click here to take the NOLA Ready Volunteer Corps Orientation

City-Assisted Evacuation (CAE 101)

The City-Assisted Evacuation (CAE) Plan may provide free transportation to a safe shelter in the event of a mandatory evacuation. Volunteers play a critical role in staffing the evacuation process, and supporting residents during an evacuation. As an Evacuation Volunteer, you will STILL evacuate ahead of the storm.

(Check back after August 1st for a revised video!)

City Shelter Operations (STR 100)

During tropical storms and hurricanes, the City sets up shelters to keep residents safe and indoors. Volunteer roles include registration, meal distribution, supply restocking, set up/breakdown, and more. Interested in supporting City sheltering operations? Train up ahead of time so you're ready to lend a hand if a sheltering operation is needed.

Click here to take our introductory shelter training

Confidentiality Training (HIP 100)

Learn about HIPAA and confidentiality, and how to protect personal information while volunteering at COVID-19 vaccine sites. This foundational training will also be useful while volunteering during other emergencies.

Click here to take our confidentiality training

Responding to Survivors of Domestic Violence During a Disaster (DV 101)

This training covers how to respond to domestic violence (DV) events in sheltering and evacuation situations, as well as other emergencies where DV may be present. This training provides information regarding DV dynamics before and during a disaster in the framework of DV as a public health issue.

Click here to take our DV 101 training

COVID-19 Vaccine Site Volunteering (VAC 100)

Learn about the City’s plan to distribute COVID-19 vaccines, and the roles and responsibilities of medical and non-medical volunteers on site. This training is designed to prepare you for a dynamic volunteering role, and specific task-orientations will occur onsite.

Click here to take our vaccine training

Intro to COVID Vaccine Canvassing (VAC 200)

This training will contextualize our vaccine outreach efforts, outline the opportunities for volunteer involvement, and discuss best practices in the field. This training is meant to be an introduction to in-person COVID-19 vaccine outreach, preparing you for broad and dynamic conversations.

Click here to take the canvassing training

NOLA Ready Volunteer Corps works in partnership with our affiliates:

New Orleans Medical Reserve Corps

Within the NOLA Ready Volunteer Corps is the New Orleans Medical Reserve Corps (NOMRC), a specialized group of volunteers that assist in public health emergency preparedness and response efforts.

Activities include:

Community outreach
Vaccination clinics
First aid stations
Shelter staffing
Evacuation assistance

Volunteer for NOMRC

VIGOR EMS

The New Orleans EMS VIGOR program allows certified EMTs and Paramedics to ride along with EMS crews and respond to 911 calls for service.

Function as a third rider on an ambulance
Assist in supervised patient care
Support medical coverage for major events

Volunteer for VIGOR

Internship Opportunities

The New Orleans Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (NOHSEP) invites undergraduate and graduate students with interests in emergency management, hazard mitigation, disaster recovery, and resilience to apply for unpaid, semester-long or flexible internship positions. Interns will be paired with NOHSEP staff to work in the following fields:

Hazard Mitigation
Crisis Communications & Public Information
Community Engagement
Emergency Operations & Logistics
Emergency Planning
GIS & Mapping
Public Health Disaster Management
Homeland Security & Public Safety

Apply to intern

Sign Up for the 2023 Emergency Resource Center Exercise!