If you are considering joining RescueNet we have put together the essential information you will need to help you make your decision. You can browse through the most frequently asked questions below or skip to the Become A Member section. If you have any unanswered queries don’t hesitate to ask us using the contact form at the bottom of the page.
FAQ
As these roles can vary largely in their nature we would invite you to contact us directly to discuss getting involved.
We typically will know only the basics of our deployment when we leave. We will often have a contact in the area giving us information and will have some details about our initial location and mission; however this can change by the time we land and will likely change several times during our deployment. If we are travelling to an area where you don’t feel safe (and this will happen) you have the option to pray it through and decline.
This is because we intentionally go to dangerous places. It’s who we are. People need to know going in that we will be in some of the roughest, most devastated and potentially dangerous scenarios in the world. However, we always put our team’s safety above the needs around us.
You will need to keep your 1st Aid/ CPR certifications current at all times. Usually they will need to be renewed every 2 years. This is the basic level of emergency response. We hope you can join RN for further training every two years or so also. That’s not mandatory, but you must be involved in some sort of ongoing learning and training in order to keep your skills up to date and ready for deployment.
Become A Member
The first stage is to participate in one of our introductory courses, designed to expose each participant to the various fields of emergency relief work, including First Response Medicine, Search and Rescue, Fire Suppression, Disaster Psychology, Radio Communications, Disaster Childcare, Field Awareness, etc.
Because RescueNet’s vision is Christian faith-based, we expect that potential members exhibit their Christian faith and Biblical Christian worldview in their lifestyle and relationships.
A successfully completed Discipleship Training School (DTS) with YWAM will be a benefit in understanding RescueNet’s values and culture but is no longer a requirement.
Additionally a current First Aid certificate including CPR competency is mandatory. You will also be asked to read and have understood the RescueNet manual in advance, which requires around 20 hours.
Upon successful completion of the Introductory Course, you will have the option to apply for membership. During the training, areas such as your attitude, teamwork, performance, knowledge and skills will be assessed, as these are important in deployments to disaster areas. Upon acceptance as a member, the assessment process determines two possible pathways for you going forward to deploy:
1. You will be asked to complete a probational phase in the form of either staffing a RescueNet Introductory Course or joining a RescueNet specific soft-deployment or outreach prior to participating in an official EMT (Emergency Medical Team) response. This will give you the opportunity to further develop your skills and allow the leadership and experienced members time to assess you in a team context. We are not looking for perfection, but due to the nature of disaster response and the mental and physical pressures involved we want to make sure you are ready and confident to respond in a large-scale crisis. Upon successful completion of either of these, you will be invited to deploy as a probationary member.
2. Alternatively, if you are assessed to be ready to deploy, you will be invited to join an official response as a probational member.
As a probational member on your first deployment you will be assigned a seasoned member as your mentor to ensure that you will have adequate practical and mental support throughout the operation. Prior to deployment you will be expected to acquire basic gear and PPE (Personal Protective Equipment), vaccinations and any other requirements your coordinator might Once you have full filled all the requirments up to date and then you are good to go!
Once you have decided on which course you wish to attend, contact us through the form at the bottom of the page or through the email contact listed in the course details.
