FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Lucy Keely, Lee County Emergency Management
                     (239) 477-3600

DISASTER EXERCISE MAY 17 ON HOW UNAFFILIATED VOLUNTEERS WOULD BE ASSIGNED AFTER A CATASTROPHIC EVENT

Fort Myers, Fl. (May 17,2003) Lee County Emergency Management and several local agencies are conducting an exercise Saturday, May 17 that will simulate how volunteers would be assigned after an actual emergency or disaster.

The "Volunteer Reception Center" exercise will be from 9 a.m. to noon at Christ Lutheran Church, 2911 Del Prado Blvd. Located in South Cape Coral.

The simulation exercise will be coordinated by Lee County Emergency Management, Friendship Volunteer Resource Center, and FIND of Lee County.

Funds for this exercise were provided by a grant to FVRC from the Corporation for National and Community Service and Volunteer Florida. Friendship Volunteer Resource Center participates in Operation Step Up.

The Volunteer Reception Center serves as an assembly point after a disaster. Volunteer coordinators match people and their skills to agencies needing assistance. These people are called "unaffiliated" volunteers because they are not affiliated with a specific disaster relief organization such as Red Cross.

During the exercise, some people will be role-playing as the unaffiliated volunteers and others from the partnering agencies will go through the assessment and placement process.

If you would like additional information regarding this exercise, please contact:

Lucy S. Keely
Lee County Emergency Management
(239) 477-3600

If you would like to volunteer with the Volunteer Reception Center, please contact: Meryl Rorer

Friendship Volunteer Resource Center (239) 275.4427

Media wanting to do stories on this exercise please coordinate with Lucy Keely.