being a member or two organisations at the same time

#1 · 14-05-2017 12:04PM #1

Hi

I'm looking to join some volunteer organizations. I was looking at joining two at the same time but somebody mentioned to me that this cannot be done.

Any truth to this?

RiderOnTheStorm · 17-05-2017 02:04PM

Depends on what you mean by "voluntary orgs". If you mean being in 2 voluntary ambulance services at the same time, then I cant comment. But as a volunteer with inshore rescue I can say that we have many members that are also in the Red Cross and fire brigade. We & they have no problem with dual membership. Can't see the likes of Kerry Mountain Rescue having a problem with you being a First Responder also. In fact, our local Community Responder group have many members that are 2 Responder groups.

ectoraige · 17-05-2017 03:14PM

The only conflicts I've heard mentioned relates to the status of Civil Defence as part of the Department of Defence, but I'm not sure if there's any truth to them. I've been told that you cannot be in both CD and PDF as you would technically fall in two places within the 'chain-of-command'. I've also been told that Garda? cannot be members, again due to it falling under the Department of Defence.

The more practical problem is how much time do you have to commit? Training can take up more time than you might anticipate.

TallGlass · 28-09-2017 09:49PM

Sorry bit of a dragging up, just might be useful to someone, but on the Civil Defence, you can't be a member of two organisation, the explanation is that, if there is a major incident that you are called upon by the Civil Defence you could be called by another organisation also helping, so the reason around it is down to numbers and planning, that if your needed, both organisations have planned actions and expected numbers.

ectoraige · 28-09-2017 09:58PM

TallGlass wrote: »

Sorry bit of a dragging up, just might be useful to someone, but on the Civil Defence, you can't be a member of two organisation, the explanation is that, if there is a major incident that you are called upon by the Civil Defence you could be called by another organisation also helping, so the reason around it is down to numbers and planning, that if your needed, both organisations have planned actions and expected numbers.

Have you a reference for that, or is out just word of mouth? The reason I ask is I know of two Gardaí who are involved with Civil Defence. CD is a voluntary organisation so numbers cannot be relied upon anyway, people are under no obligation to respond to a callout.

TallGlass · 28-09-2017 10:28PM

ectoraige wrote: »

Have you a reference for that, or is out just word of mouth? The reason I ask is I know of two Gardaí who are involved with Civil Defence. CD is a voluntary organisation so numbers cannot be relied upon anyway, people are under no obligation to respond to a callout.

Well it was at an induction day, someone asked if they can be in both the Red Cross, Order of Malta. I know quite a few are in DFB in CD. So I suppose it's based upon the organisation your in.

ry7704ng · 27-11-2018 09:16PM

sorry for bumping a bit of an old thread. thought i would just say that i am a member of the red cross and we have a lad who is a member with us for duties then is with another vollys CFR group so you can do both i suppose, granted this lad gets some slagging but that's just the services rivalry

limericklad87 · 05-12-2018 02:49PM

Volunteering with a CFR group and also with the red cross isn't really in the same bracket. In my opinion they complement rather than conflict with each other which isn't an issue.

What services rivalry are you referring too?? red cross V CFR group

ry7704ng · 12-01-2019 08:40PM

limericklad87 wrote: »

Volunteering with a CFR group and also with the red cross isn't really in the same bracket. In my opinion they complement rather than conflict with each other which isn't an issue.

What services rivalry are you referring too?? red cross V CFR group

He's with the IRC for ambulance duty then with OMAC for CFR call outs and training and so on. Not a huge rivalry between OMAC and IRC but surely u get what I mean

sligolad1 · 22-04-2019 07:39PM

Would there be an issue with being a member of a mountain rescue team and the civil defence at the same time? In a major search and rescue operation both organisations would be responding?

limericklad87 · 28-04-2019 10:28PM

Can't imagine so......

It's not like they are going to clash every week.

Just be mindful of the extent of your training for example if you were an EMT in CD you wouldn't be in MR

being a member or two organisations at the same time

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