Volunteer community members to help out with emergency management

Community volunteers who have undergone required training and security checks will be allowed to provide assistance during emergency events, thanks to a signed agreement between the City of Kingston and the United Way of Kingston Frontenac Lennox and Addington (KFL&A).

“This agreement formalizes the long-standing relationship between the City and our community partner, the United Way of KFL&A, and puts in place standards that volunteers will need to meet,” says Chief Shawn Armstrong with Kingston Fire & Rescue (KFR), the department that oversees emergency management.

A minimum of 50 people from the community will be registered, trained and available to assist, should an emergency situation arise. Interested individuals will complete a registration process, and complete training specific to supporting the City responders working at an emergency.

“An emergency can take many shapes, and these individuals could be called on to work at a temporary shelter or help communicate important messages to residents. These are examples, and as we know, an emergency can take many shapes and create different needs,” explains Armstrong.

If you are interested in learning more about this volunteer opportunity, please email [email protected] with “Emergency Response Volunteer” as your subject line.

“We are so grateful for all our volunteers, who are exceptional people, dedicated to their community and its wellbeing. We thank them for their commitment,” says Bhavana Varma, President and CEO at the United Way of KFL&A. “This is an exciting opportunity for people to sign up in the event of future emergencies.”