Before a disaster, get involved and become familiar with community resources:

• Find out which community organizations need your skills and expertise.
• Serve Rhode Island will match your skills and interests with the community agencies that need your help most.
• Take preparedness and/or safety classes with the Rhode Island Chapter of the Red Cross or call 1-800-842-1122
• Rhode Island Service Alliance (RISA)
• RI Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD) is the forum where organizations share knowledge and resources throughout the disaster cycle—preparation, response and recovery—to help disaster survivors and their communities. Contact rivoad@vcri.org.
• Citizen Corps – Coordinates volunteer programs to support first responders.
• Become a volunteer Ham radio operator with the Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network (SATERN) or contact www.arrl.org.
• Volunteer to develop site-specific disaster plans for your workplace, child's daycare center, or apartment building if they don't already have one.

After a disaster, volunteers will play a crucial role in recovery efforts:

• Serve Rhode Island will match your skills and interests with the community agencies that need your help most.
• Join the Providence Civilian Emergency Response Team (CERT), a program of the Providence Emergency Management Agency, provides free training so you can help yourself and your neighbors after a disaster. Call us at 1-401-228-8000.
• Set up your own "Neighborhood Watch" group through Citizen Observer or 1-401-421-3121.