Please take a moment to watch our Bushfire Search and Rescue introduction video and find out more about your role out on the firegrounds.

SPECIFIC TASKS & DUTIES

Emergency Response Volunteers volunteer their time in various ways as listed below:

Fire Ground Search and rescue

Volunteers respond quickly to a call to help search burnt areas for injured wildlife. Specific training and equipment is required for this role.

Training

Required:

• Basic Wildfire Awareness - click here to go to the online course - www.firetraining.org.au
  
  If you have not taken this course in more than a year we strongly recommend you take it again as a refresher.

• Assessment and Treatment of Burnt Wildlife

• Rescue and Transport of injured Wildlife

• Fire Ground Search and Rescue
  
  Click here to view our training calendar and find out when and where you can attend these.

Personal Protective Equipment

Requirements outlined in the DSE-CFA Protocols for Wildlife Volunteers.

You will need to provide your own boots, Wildlife Victoria will provide all other PPE.

Triage volunteer

Vets, vet staff and experienced licensed shelter operators with burns training will manage the triage where animals come to from the fire ground.

Wildlife Victoria has vet teams on standby for managing the triage centre for injured wildlife. If you have a team who can help or would like to be part of a team as a vet or vet nurse then join us as a Triage Volunteer - Click here to register!

If you would like to donate medical supplies, particularly prescription drugs then This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for details on transferring those drugs to one of our responsible veterinarians

Transport volunteer

Volunteers can be called on to transport in and out of the fire ground to triage or requested to travel to a rehabilitation centre with animals or with equipment and supplies.

Transporters will need their own vehicle and will cover their own petrol costs. You will need PPE for accessing the Fire Ground if you are transporting out of the area to triage.

For specific fire ground transport to Triage you will need to have recognised 4WD training and if possible a diesel 4WD vehicle with low range gearbox and a recovery kit. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for more information on driver requirements on firegrounds.

Sometimes we just need someone to pick up blankets from a donor and deliver to a drop off point. This role could be suitable for people with no previous experience. If you are able to offer your vehicle and your time then join us as a Transport Volunteer - Click here to register!

Shelter assistant volunteer

This role will most likely not involve any animal handling. However you will be vital in assisting shelter operators in their work by supporting them with collecting nearby leaf for feeding, washing, and any other skills you may be able to offer.

If you are interested in helping animal shelters in this way then join us as a Shelter Assistant Volunteer - Click here to register!

Volunteer manager of goods donations

Take calls from people with goods and direct them to their closest drop off point for goods in kind. Liaise with drop off points and manage stock register to respond to requests from triage centres and rehabilitation centres. Liaise with transporters to arrange transport of goods.

A really integral role to the succesful outcomes of a fire season, this role is at the hub of responding and arranging logistical response across the state. You will need internet access and organised and thorough record keeping skills. This role involves liaising with members of the public, shelter operators, the Emergency Response Coordinator at head office and others. This one can keep you busy but is key to our support of wildlife and very satisfying. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for more information on managing goods donations.

Supplies storage locations

Sort donations and report to volunteer manager of donations on what you have available.

This is an easy one, all you need is an area where people can drop in donations at your home or any other place, you can arrange for people to come only when you are there or have a verandah for people to just drop off to. Once you receive goods you will sort them and report to the volunteer manager of goods donations on what you have. You will then organise packages for transporters to pick up and deliver where they're most needed. You will need a storage area for this role. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for more information on becoming a drop off point.