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Sarasota News Leader May 3, 2013 Page 60 MOCK DISASTER EXERCISE PLANNED FOR MAY 8 Volunteer Community Connections will conduct its annual mock Volunteer Reception Center (VRC) disaster exercise at Colonial Oaks Park, 5300 Colonial Oaks Blvd., Sarasota, from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, May 8, Sarasota County has announced. Operations Center officials after the "all clear" notice was given following a natural or manmade disaster, the release adds. Unaffiliated volunteers would perform such duties as water and ice distribution, tree and limb removal, information hotline answering services and "The purpose of the training exercise is to meal delivery. create a mock volunteer reception center and have participants walk through the steps of Volunteer Community Connections' mission is registering unaffiliated volunteers, including to provide members of the community "meanarea residents and out-of-town people who ingful ways to connect to nonprofit, civic and are offering their help following a disaster," a service organizations," the release notes. county news release says. "A volunteer registry is available that will al"It's very important to have trained volunteers low you to identify your areas of interest bewho can help operate a volunteer reception fore a disaster and secure the needed training center in the event of a disaster," said Mindi to be effective in your volunteer role," said Rohan, executive director of Volunteer Community Connections, in the release. "This exer- Rohan in the release. cise is largely intended to allow disaster volun- For more information about disaster volunteers the opportunity to practice the process." teer needs or to register for this exercise, The volunteer reception center would open at call Volunteer Community Connections at the direction of Sarasota County Emergency 953-5965 or email info@vccflorida.org. Tropical Storm Debby produced neighborhood flooding in Venice in June 2012. Photo courtesy Sarasota County