When disaster strikes, Islamic Relief USA responds immediately to get vital resources to survivors as quickly and efficiently as possible. IRUSA Disaster Assistance Response Team members are essential to the success of our response.
**To learn how to apply for volunteer work in an Islamic Relief USA office
or for special events, check out our Volunteer page.**
Join the DART Team
Apply today to be a Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) member for Islamic Relief USA, and turn your extra time into good deeds. Fill out this form or contact Miriam Soliman, Islamic Relief USA disaster response team coordinator, at msoliman@irusa.org. You can also connect with us at volunteers@irusa.org.
Get started on the DART application process or update your records.
DART Training and Certification
Islamic Relief emergency volunteers undergo extensive training by certified staffers from the American Red Cross, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and other notable organizations. The safety and security of our volunteers are extremely important to us—and every precaution is taken to provide the smoothest experience possible for our team members.
Training Schedule
Islamic Relief USA offers training sessions for disaster assistance efforts. Click on your state’s name to learn when the next planned session is coming to your area.
Recent Efforts
- Islamic Relief USA Use Disaster Assistance Response Training to Assist in Dallas After Tornadoes
Islamic Relief USA staff, volunteers and Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) members initiated emergency response quickly after tornadoes swept through Dallas, TX, destroying hundreds of homes and hindering air travel to and from the city. The IRUSA team worked closely with the American Red Cross and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to deliver aid to tornado survivors efficiently and effectively. Read “Muslims Join Disaster Relief Efforts in the Wake of Dallas Tornadoes,” posted on Examiner.com to learn more about Islamic Relief USA’s efforts in Texas.To view photos taken by D.A.R.T. volunteers working hard in the field in Texas, visit our Facebook album, “IRUSA Staff & Volunteers Deliver Aid in Texas, April 2012″, or the “From the Field” album on Pinterest. You can also watch this American Red Cross video featuring IRUSA DART team members about these efforts.
- Islamic Relief USA Responds to Hurricane Irene
Some 20 IRUSA volunteers and staff members deployed to New Jersey Aug. 26, 2011, to provide vital assistance, including shelter operations, in preparation for Hurricane Irene. Disaster Response Team members worked closely with the local chapter of the American Red Cross to provide assistance as efficiently as possible. Team members worked in 12-hour shifts at two shelters in the area—providing registration services, food distribution, operations assistance and more to some 1,800 people. To read more about this effort, check out “Islamic Relief USA Teams Help—and Calm—Irene Evacuees.” - Islamic Relief USA Aids Victims of Alabama Tornadoes
Islamic Relief USA’s 32-member team partnered with the Salvation Army to assist in collecting clothing, food, cleaning supplies, water, hygiene kits, and personal necessities. Team members distributed products to families in need and managed a Red Cross health clinic providing first aid and general health assessment. Additionally, Islamic Relief USA partnered with the American Red Cross (ARC) to train IRUSA team members in disaster assessment of more than 4,000 affected houses, preliminary data assessments, client case work and supporting the ARC staff and the Alabama State headquarters. IRUSA’s team accompanied ARC staff during food distribution in emergency response vehicles, and prepared situational reports for the ARC managerial team.
Here’s Rika discussing her experience in Alabama as an Islamic Relief USA volunteer, providing relief aid to survivors of devastating tornadoes that tore through the state in Spring 2011.
