RSVP disaster recovery volunteers needed

The Retired Senior Volunteer Program, or RSVP, is seeking volunteers to aid in recovery efforts in the event a disaster strikes our area by managing volunteer reception centers in Santa Rosa County. 

Operated through Santa Rosa County's Emergency Operation Center and emergency support function 15, select volunteers will be responsible for registering field volunteers, evaluating skill sets, providing training and coordinating volunteer placement at one of the county's volunteer reception centers located in Gulf Breeze, Navarre, Bagdad and Pace. A VRC training session and orientation will be held on Wednesday, August 25 from 9-11 a.m. For more information, contact the Retired Senior Volunteer Program at (850) 983-5223 or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Volunteer reception centers are an important clearinghouse for field volunteers and help to ensure volunteer resources are effective and efficiently dispatched to areas of need when it is deemed safe by officials. After Hurricane Dennis, over 600 volunteers coordinated through VRC's gave more than 23,800 hours helping to place tarps on homes and clearing debris for local residents. 

Volunteers manning the reception centers should be at least 18 years old and will work full or split shifts between the hours of 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. when notified of a center opening.  Orientation and on-going training will be offered to citizens who can help in these vital roles of disaster recovery.