Welcome and thank you for your interest in the Skagit County Emergency Worker Program! If you are interested in a specific volunteer program, please submit an application today! If you’re unsure which direction you’d like to go, but you know you want to be of service, please look around this site and learn more about our many volunteer programs. Here are some FAQ’s for those who are considering joining:

 

What is the Skagit County Emergency Worker Program?

This is a program established by Washington State law that provides coverage for volunteers who will be responding to emergencies and disasters in counties throughout the state. Each county manages their own Emergency Worker Volunteer Database. The Emergency Worker Program (EWP) oversees all volunteer units within Skagit County Department of Emergency Management and Skagit County Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue. It ensures extensive liability protection and compensation program which protects registered EWP volunteers in the State of Washington.

All registered EW volunteers are issued a unique Emergency Worker Number which is used to identify them during all events and activities, and is used if there is a need for liability or reimbursement claims. These funds come from the state of Washington, rather than the individual counties, which alleviates the financial barriers for counties to provide their own extensive volunteer insurance coverage.

Regardless of which Emergency Worker Volunteer unit you join in Skagit County, you will retain your unique EW# and can use it across as many of our units as you’d like to join. Occasionally, our EW Volunteers are requested by nearby counties for mutual aid assistance.

 

What is the commitment like to join one of these volunteer programs?

Registered volunteers are asked to attend meetings and trainings throughout the year and participate in mission callouts when available. We know everyone has a schedule of their own that may conflict with volunteer activities, so talk to the Volunteer Programs Coordinator or unit lead to figure out the best way for you to lend your skills, knowledge and time. No one is expected to attend every single activity, but regular participation throughout the year is expected.

The time and energy commitment is different for every volunteer program. Some of our units get several emergency mission callouts per month, some might only get one or two a year, and some are typically more on-standby in the event of a large event or Emergency Operations Center activation. Regardless of mission frequency, all units meet monthly (or every other month) to discuss the latest topics and exercise their skills. Training opportunities are always being sought out for “blue sky” times.

 

How do I fill out an application?

Volunteer applications can be found at this link. Regardless of which group you are interested in joining, everyone must fill out an Emergency Worker packet. Then, you will select the supplemental application for the specific group you’re interested in joining. If you are interested in more than one group, please fill out the appropriate supplemental applications for each group. The purpose of the supplemental applications are to answer questions and see requirements relevant to that group’s individual skillset and discipline.

Applications are available on this site as fillable PDF files. They can be completed digitally or printed and completed by hand. Please save the file with the following format “Last, First_EW_Application.pdf”. For printed applications, please scan or clearly photograph each page and save digitally. All applications can be emailed to the Volunteer Program Coordinator- their email address is in the Emergency Worker Packet. Alternatively, applications can be hand delivered to the Skagit County Department of Emergency Management office at 2911 E. College Way, Suite B, Mount Vernon, Wa.

 

What if I want to learn more about an individual group before committing to join?

It’s a great idea to ask questions and learn more about an organization before joining. You are welcome to attend an upcoming monthly meeting of any one of our volunteer units to meet the group and better understand what they’re all about. If you cannot make it to a monthly meeting, you may be able to set up time for a one-on-one meeting with a unit lead. Please reach out to the Volunteer Programs Coordinator who can provide more information.

 

What do I get as a volunteer?

After volunteer onboarding is complete, you will be issued an Emergency Worker Number which will be uniquely tied to you in our database. This will be the number you use to sign-in and sign-out during for all authorized activities and it will be used if you ever need to submit an injury claim or reimbursement request. In addition to your ID number, you will be issued an ID badge with your photo and basic information. This is to remain with you at all times while serving on behalf of Skagit County as an Emergency Worker Volunteer.

Beyond that, you may be issued some small pieces of equipment or supplies depending on what unit you join. Some groups have logo’d apparel that can be purchased.

 

I have an Emergency Worker Number in another county, can I use that?

No. Every county in Washington maintains their own Emergency Worker Volunteer database. The number issued by a certain county is only valid in that county. This means, if you are a member of Emergency Worker Programs in three different counties, you will need to remember three different ID numbers.

 

As an Emergency Worker Volunteer, will I be a first responder?

No. Volunteers may occasionally come in contact with first responders while on a mission response, but they are not first responders themselves. Occasionally, volunteers may be the first people on-scene to help stabilize an incident until first responders arrive, but they do not ever have the same authority as law enforcement or fire personnel. They are to follow the chain of command from the moment they are activated.

 

What kind of training is offered to volunteers?

The amount and type of training is different for every volunteer group. Typically, the more active a group is with mission responses, the more they coordinate trainings to keep their skills sharp. Skagit DEM and SCSO seek out trainings that can be provided throughout the year to all volunteer groups and may include subjects like First Aid/CPR certification, Psychological First Aid, De-escalation training, a variety of FEMA and NDPTC courses, and others.

 

What qualifications do I need to volunteer?

All Emergency Worker Volunteers must complete two online Independent Study (IS) courses provided by FEMA: IS-100 and IS-700. These courses are free, self-paced, and include a short multiple choice exam at the end. The exam can be taken as many times as is needed to pass. The purpose of these IS courses is to familiarize individuals with the Incident Command System (ICS) and the National Incident Management System (NIMS). These system are universally used across jurisdictions and responding agencies to establish a chain of command and organizational structure that can adapt to any scenario. All volunteers will need to submit their certificates of completion along with their application.

Besides the application and FEMA certificates, all applicants will have to pass a criminal background check and a driver’s check if their volunteer position requires access to county vehicles. All Search and Rescue volunteers will be fingerprinted at the Skagit County Sheriff's Office.

All of our volunteer units are made up of a wide variety of people with different backgrounds and skillsets. There’s a place for everyone. You may not think you’re qualified for certain units, but fellow volunteers are usually happy to share their knowledge and skills set to teach others. You will never be asked to respond to missions that require skills outside of your scope. There’s always a need for support and admin personnel while you work on your field skills.

 

I was a volunteer many years ago and I’d like to rejoin. How do I do that?

If you can recall your Emergency Worker Number from when you volunteered in the past, that’s a great start! You can maintain that number but you will likely be asked to fill out a new application for the purpose of updating your personal information, agreeing to updated terms and conditions, and consenting to a new background check.

If you do not remember your Emergency Worker Number, that’s okay too. Depending on how long ago you were active, we may be able to pull up your archived file. Otherwise, if it was long enough ago that your file has passed its destruction date (according to the Washington Secretary of State retention schedule), you will simply fill out an application as if you are a new volunteer.

 

I’ve completed the onboarding process and have been issued an Emergency Worker Number…what now?

Along with your Emergency Worker Number (EW#) the Volunteer Programs Coordinator will issue an ID badge that can be picked up at an arranged time, or at an upcoming monthly meeting of the unit you joined. You are encouraged to attend an upcoming meeting to get acquainted with other members, catch up with the latest topics and issues and learn the specific technical details of their operations and any necessary trainings you’ll need before being cleared to respond to mission callouts.

Your name and call phone number may be added to DEM’s emergency alert system which can also be accessed by Skagit 911. Depending on your chosen unit, this may be how you receive the initial mission callout.

Remember, even though our volunteers are eager to assist with emergency response- we typically hope that emergencies DON’T occur! Don’t be too disappointed if you don’t get called out on missions as often as you’d hoped. We train and practice during “blue sky” times so we’re ready for harder times, also known as "gray skies."