Proposing a model for integrating spontaneous volunteers in emergency response in Denmark

Spontaneous volunteerism is a controversial topic in emergency response. Even though professionals
and spontaneous volunteers in emergency response have the common aim of aiding those
in need, the Danish authorities' framework for involving spontaneous volunteers is very limited.
This paper discusses how spontaneous volunteers’ contributions can be integrated into professional
emergency response in Denmark, while ensuring professional guidance of this contribution.
This paper applies a literature and document study, covering state-of-the-art research on the
topic of professional interaction with spontaneous volunteers and the Danish emergency response
system, including the role of volunteers, respectively. It is found that involvement of spontaneous
volunteers is a professional responsibility, that involvement should be through established or expanding
emergency response organisations and focus on tasks related to the common aim of aiding
those in need. It is concluded that this can be achieved by applying one-point-of-contact for
spontaneous volunteers (rather than division by sectoral responsibility), a registration system enabling
access to relevant tasks for spontaneous volunteers, the deployment of a spontaneous volunteer
facilitator going into dialogue with spontaneous volunteers to enrol them in professional
response, and a humane rejection when it is necessary to reject the offer of help from spontaneous
volunteers.