Chain of command is critical during emergencies (Lesson 10)

Sorting out who is who in the food chain in a volunteer organization is a real challenge. Red Cross depends on elevating some volunteers into positions of authority because there is not enough paid staff to run a large operation. Theoretically, these individuals are provided with special training before an assignment to make them more response-able. What's even more difficult is accountability, an important element in establishing authority. Volunteers who are doing well in posititions of responsibility are a precious asset to an organization like ours. That requires a long-term commitment and an ability to supervise and train new volunteers to Red Cross.

Watching a large number of volunteers at varying levels of responsibility and authority work together in response to the NH floods was amazing. Sure, the gears in the machinery don't always mesh well. But seeing volunteers working together with a wide range of assignments is very interesting. Seniors, young people, professionals, working class people, men, women all gathered together, many of them from different areas of the country, all creating a temporary bond to respond to a disaster. It works. Well, sort of. The gears may sometimes grind, but the machine does move.

What is critical is that every person knows where they are in the food chain. Who is my direct superior? Who is looking to me for leadership? Effective authority depends on a clear line of communication from below to above and from above to below in a context of respect for all. Application of this organizational feature is a huge challenge in an organization of volunteers. At any point in time, a volunteer can say, "I'm done. I'm going home." Occasionally, fortunately very uncommon, a volunteer will do just that. That potential volatility adds an interesting element into an operation. What is more difficult is to make that decision for someone else. It may be necessary for a supervisor to remove another volunteer from an assignment if his or her presence is disruptive.