Thank you for your interest in DOVES.

We are a special interest group affiliated with Escapees RV Club. We also have a working relationship with the American Red Cross. Almost all of our members are also Red Cross Volunteers. You will need to join Escapees, as they are our ‘parent’ www.escapees.com. Then , you would join DOVES which connects you with others of similar interest, RVers who are helping in disasters. Escapees fees are $35/yr and our fees are $10/yr.  You do NOT have to be a DOVE to join a local Chapter and become a Red Cross Volunteer, although meeting with fellow DOVEs can be very helpful.

When a Disaster occurs, the Red Cross deploys Volunteers and Staff to help people impacted by the disaster. In order for you to be the most helpful at this point, there is Red Cross training that is required to prepare you for various job assignments and tasks you may be assigned.
When you decide to join the Red Cross as a Volunteer, you will first have a background check. This is done for the safety of Volunteers and the disaster victims we help. At this time, you’ll also need to complete a basic Volunteer Course available online and/or at a local Chapter. You need a local Chapter to get you started and do the background check. Go to www.redcross.org and click on ‘Volunteer’. It will help you find the one closest to you. You will also see links for the basic Volunteer Orientation and a link to EDGE, Red Cross online training. We’re slowly getting more and more training online to make it easier for people to obtain.

Once these steps are completed, you can let your Chapter know that you’re interested in deploying to a Disaster area. They do the deployment, not DOVES. Once you are a Volunteer and a DOVE, we send out regular deployment notices so you’ll know what’s happening. In times such as we are experiencing, with multiple Disasters happening nationwide, some of the training can and does occur at the site under the direction of others with experience already.

Some areas within Red Cross for Volunteers in which our DOVE members have participated include:

1. DAT (Disaster Assessment Teams) evaluate properties for damage and start the process of identifying clients who need our help
2. CC (Client Casework) helping clients, who have been identified, to find immediate shelter, referrals to our partners such as Salvation Army to help replace clothing and household items, referrals to local/State/Federal agencies to help them in their recovery
3. DST (Disaster Services Technology)  setup communications and computers for Operation Centers and Shelters.
4. DHS (Disaster Health Services) are nurses, doctors, paramedics… who can help clients replace medications, walkers, dentures, glasses, etc that were lost.
5. MC (Mass Care) helps with Feeding and Sheltering for clients who have been displaced by disasters for several days or weeks while figuring out their losses and where they will be able to find help from the various agencies assisting disaster victims.
6. ERV (Emergency Response Vehicle) Drivers assist with food delivery in communities, disaster supplies, etc.

These are just a few of the many areas we have Volunteers involved in during every disaster.

DOVES was formed after Hurricane Sandy by Escapees who also lived fulltime in their RV’s. They were looking for a way to go to Disasters to help, and continue living in their RV’s instead of Staff Shelters. Some were already Red Cross Volunteers. It was through their persistence and hard work that an agreement was put in place for this to be possible.
Deploying in your RV is a possibility, but not always an actual practical. Sometimes, the need is so great for your help that waiting for you to drive across the country would be too long of a delay. In this case, you would be flown to an area and you’d stay in a Staff Shelter or sometimes a hotel/motel. You’ll also have transportation in some manner. You would not be using your own car for liability reasons.

Deploying in your RV can be problematic for you as well. Finding hookups or even a dry/safe place to park might not be possible, depending on individual circumstances of each deployment. Some have parked at Churches, near Feeding Shelters, Warehouse, etc., depending on what’s available. But neither Red Cross nor DOVES will find you a place to stay.  It’s up to you.  It’s possible that you might not have electric or water hookups for several days at a time. Most who have been able to deploy with their RV say that once you get to an area, you’ll have a better idea of what’s available. There is a small compensation for your travel). You would not be compensated for RV Park costs in most cases. Disaster Operations differ in what is provided.

What DOVES can do is help you with your Red Cross Volunteering, provide you with regular Deployment notices via email and a be a support for issues you might encounter, especially those involving deploying you your RV.

If you have more questions, please contact membership@dovebof.org or any Board Member.