By Charlotte Murphy, IU Corps Intern
Every 8 minutes, the American Red Cross responds to an emergency. But what happens after the initial emergency response?
After the emergency phase of a response has been completed by the Red Cross, Disaster Action Team (DAT) volunteers help to provide recovery and address lingering community needs. These teams work together with community leaders, government, and relief agencies to organize and execute recovery strategies. These strategies provide relief in the form of emergency financial assistance in the immediate aftermath of a disaster, financial assistance for households who need extra help in the longterm, and grants for community-based recovery services.
One of the Red Cross DAT responders is Indiana University graduate student, Fathia Elmoghe. Elmoghe is currently working towards a master’s degree in information systems and was previously on the pre-med track during her undergraduate studies.
“The Red Cross Disaster Action Team (DAT) Responders act as the first touchpoint between the Red Cross and those who need help,” Elmoghe shared with IU Corps during her interview.
“Whenever there is some kind of natural disaster, we (DAT) will be on site and do interviews with those who are affected and gauge what’s going on in terms of damage. Then, we connect them towards any kind of services they need, whether that be financial or if they need mental health resources or things like that.”
When Elmoghe was an undergraduate student, she was searching for meaningful volunteer opportunities. Elmoghe learned of the opportunity to volunteer with DAT through her previous volunteer experience as a blood donor ambassador with the Red Cross. She gathered a good idea of what they do from talking with previous responders and DAT’s mission aligned with her interests. One challenge for Elmoghe was that she did not have a car.
“One barrier that I thought I would have going into it is that I don’t have a car here in Bloomington. I thought it would be difficult to go from site to site. However, the primary respondents have ways to coordinate, so that should not be something that someone should be worried about.”
To become certified on Red Cross DAT, Elmoghe was required to complete volunteer training to ensure that her knowledge level was satisfactory for the task at hand.
“There was some virtual training that was asynchronous and there’s also some synchronous training where the chapter would organize certain times for all the new onboards to come in and learn in person as well.”
Elmoghe is not a pre-med major or studying within the healthcare field yet she still found a lot of value in joining DAT.
“You might think there wasn’t value for me because I’m not in the medical field or working at a hospital, but I would say it was helpful,” Elmoghe said. “I met some really amazing people and made some great connections. I was able to see that even though I’m not the one specifically providing the services, I was able to hear back from people later after they went through the process that they appreciated my time, and I was really helpful to them. I made a really great impact on their life. DAT also helped with my ability to adjust and remain calm and as well a lot with my communication.”
The Red Cross is looking for more volunteers now more than ever. They’re looking for some fresh young faces, especially in the light of the severe weather that has happened recently.
“The application process is very simple and then you schedule a phone interview. It’s not a nine to five job,” Elmoghe said. “Whenever something happens, if you’re available, go out and try to help people. They’re trying to get people aligned with the overall vision of helping people in need. DAT is not the only role that the Red Cross offers to help make a difference in healthcare. It’s not something that takes up a lot of your time and it’s a good way to give back locally in the community.”
If you’re interested in joining Elmoghe at the Red Cross as a volunteer, visit the website to register and apply.
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