Rethinking Volunteer Management Using a Centralized Volunteer Staging and Training Area

Public health agencies simply do not have enough trained staff or volunteers to effectively respond to a large-scale disaster. Training volunteers "off the street" will be crucial-but time consuming-in a public health emergency. A centralized volunteer staging and training area can help to efficiently register, credential, and conduct just-in-time training of volunteers, while reducing stress, confusion, traffic congestion, and security issues at various mass dispensing clinics. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2008; 2: 127-129)