Volunteer and Get Involved
NCEM welcomes committed volunteers and student interns. Volunteers are the heart of our organization and we are excited that you are interested in becoming a part of our team! Your time and skills will enhance our community's preparedness, communication, response, and recovery capabilities.
If you have questions about opportunities or the application process, please call our Volunteer Coordinator at 904-548-0900.
NCSO Volunteer and Intern Application Requirements: ​
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Be at least 18 years of age, have a valid FL Driver's License or ID, and able to work independently.
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Pass a law enforcement check (fingerprints), drug screening, and a background investigation.
(This process can take 2-3 months - to find out the status of your submitted application, please call 904-548-4012) -
Specific training may also be required, depending on the volunteer's role and work location.
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Submit the completed, signed, and notarized NCSO Volunteer Application to:
Nassau County Sheriff's Office
77151 Citizens Circle
Yulee, FL 32297
Free Online Training Recommended for Nassau EM Volunteers
If you are interested in one of our in-person classes or a presentation for your group - Click Training & Outreach.
Other Local Opportunities
The Nassau County FL Amateur Radio Emergency Service (NCARES), affiliated with the national Amateur Radio Relay League (ARRL), is a group of more than 100 licensed amateur radio operators who reside and/or work in the area. Members share their technical expertise to maintain regional equipment and often offer Ham Radio training and FCC license testing.
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Many NCARES "hams" serve as real-time weather spotters and report severe weather impacts to our EOC's County Watch Office. Others have gone through the NCSO volunteer vetting process and taken additional training to become certified Auxiliary Communications specialists (AUXCOMMs), and now work shifts in the EOC Watch Office, support community events, and during disaster response operations can help provide uninterrupted communications between the EOC and the field (e.g., emergency shelters and distribution sites) or assess damage and relay hazard impact information to the EOC.
The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program is a nationally supported, locally implemented initiative that teaches people how to better prepare themselves for hazards that may affect their communities. CERT trains the public in basic disaster response skills such as team organization, disaster medical operations, fire safety, and light search and rescue.
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CERT-trained volunteers are often the first to respond to disasters in their neighborhoods and provide the help needed until professional help arrives. With their understanding of the National Incident Management System (NIMS), CERT-trained volunteers can also be integrated into local emergency management missions, manning call centers, providing mass care support at shelters, distributing emergency supplies, and conducting damage assessments.
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Contact Training & Outreach to find out when the next CERT course will be held.
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The Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) is a national network of volunteers, organized locally to strengthen community health, emergency response, and disaster resiliency. MRC units engage public health specialists, doctors, nurses, paramedics, pharmacists, veterinarians, and non-medical community members willing to donate their time and expertise, then utilize them to respond to emergencies, staff alternate care facilities, provide first-responder rehab, and support ongoing emergency preparedness and public health initiatives. Learn more: MRC Volunteer Core Competencies for Disaster Medicine and Public Health.
Nassau Co. MRC volunteers often provide first aid support at local events, augment DOH staff at back-to-school or vaccination clinics, and work closely with NCEM and Hands4Hearts to provide free Hands-Only CPR/AED, Stop-the-Bleed, Narcan Use, and other life-saving skills classes.
The Nassau County Youth Emergency Team is a unique cooperative project between the UF-IFAS Nassau County Extension 4-H Program and Emergency Management. This eight-week educational program is designed to promote youth leadership and provide the skills necessary to respond to emergency situations. The curriculum expands on the CERT personal preparedness, fire suppression, damage assessment, search and rescue, and medical first aid modules, adding topics such as poison control, active assailant and terrorism awareness, suicide prevention, and animal handling, assessments, and sheltering operations, as well as group projects. Participating youth from age 11 to 17 can also earn community service credits.
NCEM is the home of a nationally recognized Medical Reserve Corps unit, the Nassau Co. MRC, unit #2678.
When not involved in public health emergencies, Nassau Co. MRC volunteers teach Hands-Only CPR/AED skills and other classes free of charge as part of their Life Savers Initiative and Hands4Hearts.org