DSV Disaster Support Volunteers, Inc. Supporting those who support our communities

<body> <p> <p><font face="Verdana" size="2">DSV Disaster Support Volunteers, Inc. is a non-profit organization that was established to fulfill a need in our mountain community in the Denver, Colorado foothills, including Bailey, Conifer, Aspen Park, Evergreen, Fairplay, Lake George, Florrisant and Hartsel. Our homes and life styles were shaken to the core last summer - 5 major forest fires, including the LARGEST fire, Hayman, which ever hit the state of Colorado. <o:p> </o:p> </font></p> <div> <font face="Verdana" size="2"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: Times New Roman; mso-bidi-font-family: Times New Roman; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">In the spring and summer of 2002, we found that resources for our Emergency Services were strapped to the limits (<a href="stories.php">read the stories from the Hayman fire</a>). We went into gear to provide vital aid to our volunteers.... with the help of the entire community. </span>Our goal is to be there for them from this point forward....they risk their lives to help us - we are ready to help them in any way we can. <o:p>  </font> </div> <p><font face="Verdana" size="2">It is the emergency volunteers who are the first responders, our area Volunteer Fire Departments, Volunteer Rescue, Victims Assistance and such. We identified a need for organization of community volunteers and funding to allow for fast execution of assistance to our reactive volunteer organizations. Many of these organizations work strictly on volunteers and donations from their communities and may get caught not fully prepared for disasters on the scale of the Hayman Fire.<o:p> </o:p> </font></p> <p><font face="Verdana" size="2">In a major disaster, State and Federal agencies may come in and assist, however, there is a critical few days prior to their arrival where our local Emergency Volunteers are on their own. Plus, in every day emergencies that desperately strap our depts. there never is any Government help. One of our goals is to provide assistance in those critical days and times to help our Emergency agencies to react immediately and be fully equipped.<o:p> </o:p> </font></p> <p><font face="Verdana" size="2">We also found that our neighbors that were in the path of the Hayman, Black Mtn, Snaking and other fires – either evacuated or notified to prepare to evacuate – had little or no information. The local media could not meet the needs of a few. Our volunteers with scanners provided current information to those affected thru discussion board posting of the movement of the fire and provided vital communications to hundreds of folks through a local chat room. These volunteers provided a sense of peace in those affected – knowledge is a vital tool. These efforts will continue and DSV, Inc is striving to provide a wide network of scanner/Ham operators that will keep our neighbors informed with critical information.<o:p> </o:p> </font></p> <p><font face="Verdana" size="2"> <span style="mso-fareast-font-family: Times New Roman; mso-bidi-font-family: Times New Roman; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">DSV, Inc is building a registry of volunteers to assist in a wide array of services. These services are for collection of supplies, distribution of collected supplies, coordination of electronics/communications/computer technicians, mechanics, animal boarding, etc...and WE NEED YOU to help. No matter how big or how small your contribution, it is desperately needed - from posting scanner information, money donations or housing a few animals for owners that have been evacuated, to lending a helping hand in loading or delivering supplies....please do what you can - sign up on our volunteer board - help us build the greatest network that has ever been seen!</span></font> </p> </body>