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Ready For Anything is a scheme to allow members of the public to volunteer and assist the multi-agency emergency response in a coordinated way.
24/7, 365 days a year - our volunteers are ready to help.
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Could you help us during an emergency? We're looking for volunteers who can provide practical support to people whose lives have been affected so suddenly and help the emergency response during an incident. All ages 18 plus are welcome, no skills needed, just a desire to help others.
Following the devastation caused by the Boxing Day floods in 2015, Ready for Anything was set up by York CVS and City of York Council. During the floods resources were stretched, however, the practical support offered by members of the public and businesses was invaluable.
Following the success of the initial scheme, funding has been given by North Yorkshire County Council via NESTA and Ready For Anything has been adopted by the North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum. It is now being rolled out across the whole of North Yorkshire and York, and we are creating a database of enthusiastic volunteers whom we can call upon to help, from Ingleton to Filey, and from Stokesley to Selby.
Dr Anne Eyre, who is a sociologist specialising in psychosocial aspects of major incidents, emergency planning and disaster management, talks about how Ready For Anything is a leading scheme nationally for allowing members of the public to volunteer and assist the multi-agency emergency response in a coordinated way.
Ready For Anything volunteers were deployed three times during the recovery phase of the flash flooding in Richmondshire in August 2019. They helped with checking on residents affected, giving much needed information and being a reassuring presence in Leyburn, Bellerby, Reeth and Arkengarthdale.
Since then we have deployed volunteers to assist with numerous incidents from helping in rest centres for evacuated people and door knocking for warning and informing.
We currently have 325 volunteers across North Yorkshire and York.
There is no obligation to offer a regular commitment, but we will notify you when there's an incident and if you're able to help you can confirm to us by text message (so a mobile phone is essential). We'll also provide you with appropriate training, awareness sessions and keep in regular contact. Read our FAQs.
Tom Knox, former head of resilience and emergencies at North Yorkshire County Council:
“A number of recent incidents in North Yorkshire have highlighted the need for additional support for emergency responders. We want to harness across North Yorkshire and York the public desire to help our neighbours and communities. Ready for Anything is a huge opportunity for volunteers to engage with and support the collective response to any emergency. We’d love to hear from people who are interested in volunteering.”
Could you be ready for anything? Register your interest here.
Upcoming training sessions and events.
