Emergencies and disasters don’t happen every day, but when they do, it’s through the efforts of our dedicated volunteers that Kane County and its residents are better prepared to respond.
We're currently recruiting for volunteers who are interested or have experience in HAM radio and/or emergency or technical communications. Computer experience is also a plus!
Communications volunteers help staff our Emergency Operations Center and work in our Mobile Command Center as needed for Severe Weather Emergencies, Special Events, Search & Rescue, Hazardous Materials incidents, and interoperable communications deployments.
All training is provided and, while related experience is appreciated, no experience is required. Training will likely start in mid-November and space is limited so fill out an application today! If you have questions, email us at KaneCountyEOC@KaneCountyIL.gov.
These volunteers fill a wide variety of professional roles within the OEM organization including field responders, support personnel, communication personnel, and disaster intelligence personnel. The roles require commitment, a willingness to expand on current skills and knowledge as well as learn new skills, and the ability to work effectively with other members of the organization.
To qualify you must meet the following requirements:
- Be a minimum of 21 years of age.
- Live inside of or within 5 miles of the Kane County border.
- Be willing to learn and participate in trainings.
- Be willing to work at pre-planned public events (details) in support of local community activities.
- Be willing, when available, to respond to emergency calls for assistance when needed.
The OEM relies on each volunteer member bringing unique skills, capabilities, and talents when they join the organization. For a volunteer to be an integral part of the organization, they must be willing to share those talents and actively participate in pre-planned details, training, and emergency calls for assistance.
At a minimum, each volunteer should be prepared to commit to the following:
- Attend monthly membership meetings, training sessions, and Wednesday work activities.
- Participate in at least 10% of the pre-planned details and calls.
- Contribute and share your skills to help the organization meet its goals and objectives.
While the Kane County Office of Emergency Management strongly encourages cross training between divisions, we do require you to select a division to put you into the correct training program upon application. This will ensure you receive the correct amount of training to safely and effectively complete your assignment. While filling out the volunteer application you’ll be given three divisions to pick from. Please select one of the following: Field Response, Support, Communications, and then indicate if you have any interest in joining the agency’s Search and Rescue team.
Here’s what you can expect within each division:
- Attend weekly Wednesday evening trainings, meetings, and work nights.
- Assist with weekly preventative maintenance to agency owned vehicles and equipment (no mechanical experience is required) on Wednesday evenings to ensure proper operation when needed.
- Respond to emergency calls for assistance by law enforcement, fire departments, or other government agencies to assist with traffic control, scene lighting, or other duties as requested.
- Respond to affected areas in the wake of disasters (both natural and man-made) within Kane County to assist with OEM field operations.
- Work with and assist members of the public on a regular basis and in a professional manner.
- Sign up to assist with pre-planned details to assist with community events across Kane County.
Disaster Assistance Bureau
- Attend weekly Wednesday evening trainings, meetings, and work nights.
- Assist with weekly Emergency Operations Center tasks on Wednesday evenings.
- Become a member of the Emergency Operation Center team.
- Work with and assist the public during disaster events.
- Sign up to assist with pre-planned details to assist with community events across Kane County.
- Attend weekly Wednesday evening trainings, meetings, and work nights.
- Assist the communication division in ensuring proper operation of communications gear operated by the OEM (no prior radio knowledge is required).
- Assist with and operate communications equipment during activations of the Emergency Operation Center during both real events and trainings.
- If Amateur Radio (HAM) licensed, assist with conducting weekly directed-nets on the OEM Amateur Radio repeater.
- Work with and assist members of the public on a regular basis and in a professional manner.
- Sign up to assist with pre-planned details to assist with community events across Kane County.
- Attend a 16-hour Search and Rescue qualification class once every three (3) years to maintain searcher certifications.
- Respond to Search and Rescue emergency calls for service to assist with locating missing and/or endangered members of the public both within Kane County and outside of Kane County.
- Assist outside agencies with calls for service to assist
- Attend monthly and quarterly Search and Rescue specific training.
- Sign up to represent the Kane County OEM Search and Rescue team at pre-planned public relations details across Kane County.
- Work with and assist members of the public on a regular basis and in a professional manner.
If you’re interested in joining the Kane County Office of Emergency Management, please download our application for membership and submit to our office via mail or email. Once your application is accepted you’ll be notified of the next start date of our orientation cycle. Upon your start date you’ll begin a six month probationary period during which you’ll attend several trainings and participate in several activities, often times under direct supervision of a supervisor or member of the training division. Once the probationary period is successfully completed, you’ll be sworn in as a full member of the Kane County Office of Emergency Management.
