Spontaneous volunteer coordination during disasters and emergencies: Opportunities, challenges, and risks

During major disaster and emergency events, significant numbers of individuals known as Spontaneous Volunteers (SV) show up to provide help, often in an unplanned fashion. SV play a critical role in responding to major disasters when emergency management services are overwhelmed and require additional capacity. Despite many benefits that may accrue from their usage, there are also some s noteworthy potential challenges. Reviews conducted after some recent disaster events reveal that emergency management service personnel were uncertain as to how they should interact most effectively with these volunteers. Failure to effectively 'coordinate' and employ SV during disaster response can create additional complications and risks for already overburdened emergency organizations. This study examines spontaneous volunteer coordination challenges, opportunities, and risks during emergencies and disasters derived from aa survey of emergency managers in Ontario, Canada. A structured questionnaire consisting of five sections and 69 questions was completed by a sample of emergency managers in Ontario. The findings show that their usage of SV is common, however they perceive the SV relationship from a predominantly 'managerial' lens or perspective, focusing upon control, predictability and potential liability issues and obstacles regarding their recruitment, and utilization, etc. Lack of federal and provincial legal and legislative supports regarding the usage, liability, and safety of SV are among the main barriers to the more effective realization of their full potential. This paper presents detailed results and implications of this study.