Nope not heard of an organisation like that. most volunteers go through the international red cross. They assist with training and travel all over to help.
From a Met police point of view we have convoy 2000 where we ship a load of staff and staff out to help with rebuilding. Not sure if they recruit outside the job though.

__________________
Like the Phoenix I rise from the fire. Beware all who try to tame me, you may get burned

Untrained volunteers are a nightmare in the first bit. Go off and get themselves hurt, or help in the wrong way.

__________________
Between stimulus and response there is a space.
In that space is our power to choose our response.
In our response lies our growth and our freedom.

- Viktor E. Frankl

Yep, same here.

After most big emergencies, hundreds of new volunteers call up the Red Cross and want to be put on a plane right now, not realizing that, in the first bit, they need trained people who won't make matters worse, and who will be able to hold themselves together long enough to get the job done.

Still, I was just so frustrated to hear that people with their own boats weren't allowed in to help, because no one wanted to take resposibility for letting them in. No clues to be trampled, not a whole lot of stuff lying around to be looted, just people to be gotten off rooftops.

Every person they got off a roof in the first day was one fewer dehydrated sunstroke and cholera victim three days later, one fewer person who would need resources beyond food, water and shelter.

Even if they didn't want the untrained volunteers in the city, they could have used them to ferry uninjured victims or supplies, letting the trained people go where they were needed most.

__________________
Between stimulus and response there is a space.
In that space is our power to choose our response.
In our response lies our growth and our freedom.

- Viktor E. Frankl

And I suppose if the volunteer got injured, he'd be able to sue someone.

No perfect world, is there?

__________________
Between stimulus and response there is a space.
In that space is our power to choose our response.
In our response lies our growth and our freedom.

- Viktor E. Frankl

Isnt it funny how most of the rescue stories you read, are done by bystanders?

Yep, a lot of people stay. But a whole lot more *wanted* to get out, and did what they were told, and were, ugh, insert non-kid-friendly word here.

__________________
Between stimulus and response there is a space.
In that space is our power to choose our response.
In our response lies our growth and our freedom.

- Viktor E. Frankl