What Does It Take to Deploy Abroad in the Wake of Disasters?

Pat Ross

Learn what it takes to deploy abroad with the trained volunteers of Team Rubicon.

Disasters are no-excuse, results-only zones. Team Rubicon assembles high-performing teams with seasoned, professional, and credentialed individuals. Holding to the organization’s hard routine requires discipline. Selection is competitive.

“Building our international team requires fierce attention to detail and objectiveness. We look at the whole candidate, their experiences, skills, and personality. Our missions are challenging and stressful. We field innovative, experienced teams that make decisions to save lives,” added Matt Pelak, Field Operations with Team Rubicon. 

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Be Ready

Are you prepared to deploy? This requires a realistic understanding of one’s self. We deploy as teams. Are you capable of carrying your weight? Will you be there when your fellow Greyshirts need you most? What do you bring to the team?

  1. Complete your volunteer profile in Roll Call: Meet the requirements to deploy domestically, fill out your profile, and ensure your certifications are current. Only those eligible to deploy domestically are eligible for a slot on the international team, regardless of qualifications. We seek highly seasoned practitioners, not generalists.
  2. Personal Readiness: Our Field Operations team reviews your submission for compliance, consistency, and completeness. Your passport must be valid for at least a year. Those who fail to follow instructions do not proceed in the process, regardless of qualifications. You may resubmit after corrective action is taken.

Interview

For those interested in utilizing their medical expertise in disaster zones, Team Rubicon’s medical officers review your credentials to determine if you have the qualifications to fill the role. To serve in a medical position, you must be a licensed paramedic, nurse, nurse practitioner, physician assistant, or physician. The ideal candidate has an even disposition, a specific skill, and a spirit of service.

Commit

This is a volunteer position, and we expect you to dedicate yourself to our principles: Tenacity, impartiality, accountability, collaboration, and innovation. “Team Rubicon deploys volunteers on international operations based on their capacity to maximize aid delivered to disaster-affected populations. Any volunteer member in good standing, ready to deploy internationally, and who displays the skills and temperament to be successful will be considered. The deciding factor is always our ability to deliver the highest impact possible to those in need,” said David Burke, Vice President of Programs and Field Operations.

How we’ll mobilize volunteers to serve abroad in the wake of disasters:

  1. Notification: You will receive an email or text requesting your availability to deploy.
  2. Vetting: We review logistics constraints and your skills to source the most qualified individual for a function on the team. Team composition is critical and slots are limited. Go / no-go instructions, hold fasts, and stand downs are sent via email. If personnel and logistics criteria are met, you will be emailed further instructions.

Go time

In most cases, you’ll link up with the rest of your team at Team Rubicon’s National Operations Center in Grand Prairie, Texas. When we’re up against the clock, we may fly you straight to the disaster zone. Personal readiness is imperative.

Team Rubicon has a hard-earned reputation, and the humanitarian community has high expectations for us. We must maintain the high state of personal and organizational readiness so that when we receive the clarion call, we respond with a resounding, “Send me.”


View our Frequently Asked Questions about joining the team.
Need help navigating Roll Call? Check out our instructional page on Vimeo

 

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