ABSTRACT
In this project, we describe the experience of utilizing six AmeriCorps volunteers deployed to an urban, coastal city over a six-week period in 2011 to assist with a CBDP needs assessment survey and pre-deployment disaster training of health care personnel. Volunteer accomplishments included (1) a regional database of care providers to identify optimal emergency preparedness training (EPT) distribution, (2) an EPT assessment survey to gauge current care provider disaster preparedness, and (3) a high-fidelity EPT training demonstration project in the university's human simulation center. In contrast to their more traditional roles of response and recovery, we believe that we have demonstrated a model of how volunteers can be utilized to support CBDP mitigation and planning stages of disaster. We hope the volunteers' experiences, goals, mission and accomplishments documented here can be used as a potential model that may enhance CBDP activities around the nation.