During an emergency response, why are volunteers not part of a response team discouraged from participating?

The rationale for discouraging volunteers not formally part of a response team during an emergency stems from the potential for unintended consequences that may complicate the situation. While volunteers may be well-meaning and eager to help, their lack of training and familiarity with established protocols can lead to actions that inadvertently disrupt organized efforts.

When volunteers are untrained, their actions can introduce new challenges. For example, they might not understand the importance of biosecurity measures, potentially leading to contamination or spreading of disease rather than containing it, or they might intervene in ways that conflict with the strategies in place. These factors can exacerbate the emergency rather than mitigate it.

In emergency responses, effective management and coordination are critical to ensure that all actions taken support the overall strategy for containment and resolution. Volunteers who are not integrated into the established response framework may not possess the knowledge necessary to act in the best interest of the situation, leading to chaos rather than contributing positively to the resolution of the crisis. This encapsulates the essence of why untrained volunteers can become part of the problem rather than the solution.