A new program called Response ETSU is training students to respond to disasters and emergencies.
Dr. Tom Coates, chairman of the physical education department, and Joyce Duncan, a service-learning instructor, made an initial proposal to develop Response ETSU before the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.
“After the 9/11 incident this issue became more urgent and we had to get the ball rolling,” Coates said.
The purpose of Response ETSU, the only program of its kind in the nation, is to provide an opportunity for university students to learn basic skills that will enable them to function as trained and prepared volunteers and leaders who can respond to the call for help in a time of need.
While different government agencies and community support organizations have been created to respond to such emergencies, there is a continual need for trained and prepared volunteers to assist with disasters.
Coates said that the ETSU community, along with President Stanton, has endorsed the project even though it is not funded by the university.
“The SGA and staff have both written positive letters and we received a staff Senate letter of support,” he said.
Response ETSU will consist of three phases. The first is the completion of an academic course identified as emphasizing basic elements essential to disaster response. The second phase involves doing volunteer work to become a member of the Response ETSU cadre of students. The final phase is volunteering to become a part of Response ETSU team.
“We will have a pool of students, faculty and staff who are interested in volunteering and giving back to the community,” Coates said. Faculty and staff members will travel with all Response ETSU teams and provide supervision and support in the field.
A training calendar will be developed after the partnerships are established with disaster response and relief agencies. “When a call comes in and they need volunteers, we will ask what skills are needed and how many volunteers will be necessary for the emergency,” Coates said. “We will match those needs with the individual skills.”
Whether it is day or night volunteers must be on hand to offer their services. “We are simply going to go down the list and keep calling until we get the number we need for the disaster,” he said.
If a disaster occurs, the university will recognize Response ETSU and will give students up to five days out of the semester to volunteer.
It is recommended that the absences be treated in the same manner as any other university-sponsored event. When a student has served even one day, the student’s name will be moved to the bottom of the call list. They will not call if you reach five days.
“These are experiences that you will carry for the rest of your life,” Coates said. “Hopefully after a student graduates and moves he may want to get involved in an agency in another city.
“We are preparing citizens for another level of citizenship.”
For more information, contact Coates at 439-4362.

Author