Experience with Medical Reserve Corps volunteers suggests that we are better to focus on training local leaders than more broad-based training of all volunteers on our lists.  Most non-leader volunteers in disaster can succeed with minimal, spontaneous training.  Let's train unit leaders, section leaders and command post staff to understand their roles and to work together, as well as to assess and promote resiliency among volunteers during and after disaster operations.  None of this happens spontaneously.   Let's re-prioritize volunteer funding toward stronger leadership training and carefully crafted spontaneous training.

Money spent on training volunteers for non-leadership tasks gets diffused; the training is forgotten and then needs to be repeated during ramp-up for disaster operations.  Volunteer leaders are more successful with experience together and familiarity with one another.  We don't just put a random group of volunteers together and expect them to succeed during a disaster.  The "skilled position" leaders are the keys.