VSF 03.03.01: Levee Inspection Team Member: Difference between revisions

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=== Responsibilities ===
=== Responsibilities ===


* Be familiar with Levee Threat Monitoring Guidelines (UFSWQD Flood Emergency Action Plan, Appendix M, 2016)
* Be familiar with Levee Threat Monitoring Guidelines (UFSWQD Flood Emergency Action Plan, Appendix M, 2016).
* Patrol levees in teams of two to identify sand boils, erosion, and overtopping
* Patrol levees in teams of two to identify sand boils, erosion, and overtopping.
* Monitor floodwalls for leaks in the monolith joints and for other sources of seepage
* Monitor floodwalls for leaks in the monolith joints and for other sources of seepage.
* Use radios for communications
* Use radios for communications (radios provided by UFSWQD during deployment).
* Report immediate concerns to Division Supervisor or Operations Section Chief, or otherwise hourly
* Report immediate concerns to UFSWQD Division Supervisor or Operations Section Chief, or otherwise hourly.
* Use cell phone to take photos of issues as they arise and change to document the incident for reporting
* Use cell phone to take photos of issues as they arise and change to document the incident for reporting.
* Use cell phone to document levee inspection forms
* Use cell phone to document levee inspection forms.


* Participate in scheduled training, drills, and activation exercises to maintain operational competence.
* Participate in scheduled training, drills, and activation exercises to maintain operational competence.
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| style="background: #13135a; color: white" width="105px" |'''Lead Agency'''
| style="background: #13135a; color: white" width="105px" |'''Lead Agency'''
| style="background: white; padding: 10px" |<span style="color:red">''This is almost always PBEM, but there are occasional exceptions. Please ask PBEM if you're not sure.''<span />
| style="background: white; padding: 10px" | <span style="color:red">''Urban Flood Safety & Water Quality District (UFSWQD)''
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| style="background: #13135a; color: white" width="105px" |'''Active NET Required?'''
| style="background: #13135a; color: white" width="105px" |'''Active NET Required?'''
| style="padding: 10px" |<span style="color:red">''The majority of volunteer position descriptions are open to ATVs. Whether or not the one you are working on is should be clearly indicated in the VSF Directory.''<span />
| style="padding: 10px" |
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| style="background: #13135a; color: white" width="105px" |'''Structure'''
| style="background: #13135a; color: white" width="105px" |'''Structu'''<span style="color:red"><span />'''re'''
| style="background: white; padding: 10px" |<span style="color:red">''Describes the position describes span of control and chain of command for the volunteer position.''</span>
| style="background: white; padding: 10px" |
|-
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| style="background: #13135a; color: white" width="105px" |'''Relevant Knowledge, Skills, Abilities'''
| style="background: #13135a; color: white" width="105px" |'''Relevant Knowledge, Skills, Abilities'''
| style="padding: 10px" |<span style="color:red">''A list of ideal qualities and knowledge that a candidate for the volunteer position possesses. However, the purpose of listing them is to give volunteers a better idea of the expectations associated with the role. They are not intended as prescriptive.''</span>
| style="padding: 10px" |
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| style="background: #13135a; color: white" width="105px" |'''Licenses and Certifications'''
| style="background: #13135a; color: white" width="105px" |'''Licenses and Certifications'''
| style="background: white; padding: 10px" |<span style="color:red">''Any licenses or certifications required OR recommended for this volunteer position.''</span>
| style="background: white; padding: 10px" |
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| style="background: #13135a; color: white" width="105px" |'''Currency'''
| style="background: #13135a; color: white" width="105px" |'''Currency'''
| style="padding: 10px" |<span style="color:red">''"Currency" means how often they need to renew training or certifications, and/or contact with their team or team leader. In other words, indicates how often a volunteer must renew training and/or knowledge in order to be deployable in this volunteer position. All position descriptions should also include:''</span>
| style="padding: 10px" |Required to complete a [[Background Checks|criminal backg]]<span style="color:red"><span />[[Background Checks|round check]] at PBEM's expense every three years.
 
Required to complete a [[Background Checks|criminal background check]] at PBEM's expense every three years."
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| style="background: #13135a; color: white" width="105px" |'''Physical Requirements'''
| style="background: #13135a; color: white" width="105px" |'''Physical Requirements'''
| style="background: white; padding: 10px" |<span style="color:red">''More detailed knowledge on the physical expectations associated with completing the position's key responsibilities.''</span>
| style="background: white; padding: 10px" |
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| style="background: #13135a; color: white" width="105px" |'''Task Book'''
| style="background: #13135a; color: white" width="105px" |'''Task Book'''
| style="padding: 10px" |<span style="color:red">''If a task book is available for this volunteer position, it will be linked here. Not every position has a task book.''</span>
| style="padding: 10px" |
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| style="background: #13135a; color: white" width="105px" |'''PPE and Recommended Equipment'''
| style="background: #13135a; color: white" width="105px" |'''PPE and Recommended Equipment'''
| style="background: white; padding: 10px" |<span style="color:red">''Any required personal protective equipment (PPE) associated with deploying in this volunteer position, and any relevant equipment that facilitates completing volunteer responsibilities.''</span>
| style="background: white; padding: 10px" |
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| style="background: #13135a; color: white" width="105px" |'''Forms'''
| style="background: #13135a; color: white" width="105px" |'''Forms'''
| style="padding: 10px" |<span style="color:red">''Forms that a volunteer in the position should be familiar with and know how to complete.''</span>
| style="padding: 10px" |
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| style="background: #13135a; color: white" width="105px" |'''Updated'''
| style="background: #13135a; color: white" width="105px" |'''Updated'''
| style="background: white; padding: 10px" |<span style="color:red">''Indicates by date the last time anything in the position description was changed.''</span>
| style="background: white; padding: 10px" |
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| style="background: #13135a; color: white" width="105px" |'''Released'''
| style="background: #13135a; color: white" width="105px" |'''Released'''
| style="padding: 10px" |<span style="color:red">''Indicates by date when the position was first released and published.''</span>
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Revision as of 07:31, 15 September 2025

A Volunteer Support Function (VSF) is a functional area under which volunteers carry out their responsibilities. Each VSF is broken into position assignments. VSF 03.03 is the position assigned to NETs when volunteering with the Urban Flood Safety & Water Quality District (UFSWQD) as a Levee Inspection Team Member.

The UFSWQD manages 27 miles of levees that divert Columbia River and Lower Columbia Slough floodwaters away from properties within the District boundaries. Though the levee system is well maintained, there are still known areas with risk drivers that should receive special attention during emergency response.

Inspection during high water events is critical to ensure proper operation of the flood management system. By identifying problems early on, issues can be prevented or slowed down. During a flood emergency, monitoring the levee system condition is necessary to ensure that emergency risk reduction measures are initiated quickly to avoid adverse impacts of delayed response.



Summary

Support the safety and integrity of local levees by conducting routine visual inspections using provided go-kits and reporting findings. Inspections and maintenance of the levee system promotes levee integrity in the larger effort to protect lives and property.

Blue Skies/Grey Skies Summary
During Blue Skies, these volunteers... During Grey Skies, these volunteers...
...train with UFSWQD personnel as needed to be ready to deploy during a high water event. ...patrol levees during high water events and report and document potential trouble spots.

Related Volunteer Positions

VSF 03.03.02: Debris Removal Task Force Member

Responsibilities

  • Be familiar with Levee Threat Monitoring Guidelines (UFSWQD Flood Emergency Action Plan, Appendix M, 2016).
  • Patrol levees in teams of two to identify sand boils, erosion, and overtopping.
  • Monitor floodwalls for leaks in the monolith joints and for other sources of seepage.
  • Use radios for communications (radios provided by UFSWQD during deployment).
  • Report immediate concerns to UFSWQD Division Supervisor or Operations Section Chief, or otherwise hourly.
  • Use cell phone to take photos of issues as they arise and change to document the incident for reporting.
  • Use cell phone to document levee inspection forms.
  • Participate in scheduled training, drills, and activation exercises to maintain operational competence.
  • Represent PBEM professionally and follow safety and operational guidelines at all times.
  • Log all volunteer hours.
Position ID VSF 03.03.01: Levee Inspection Team Member
Mission Area Preparedness Response Recovery
Lead Agency Urban Flood Safety & Water Quality District (UFSWQD)
Active NET Required?
Structure
Relevant Knowledge, Skills, Abilities
Licenses and Certifications
Currency Required to complete a criminal background check at PBEM's expense every three years.
Physical Requirements
Task Book
PPE and Recommended Equipment
Forms
Updated
Released

Training for VSF 03.03.01: Levee Inspection Team Member

Important note: ONLY the trainings listed as REQUIRED are required! Optional training and supplemental resources are presented as a path for a volunteer to increase their knowledge and confidence carrying out their volunteer responsibilities. However, no volunteer's Active status depends on completing training marked as "Optional" or "Supplemental". For more information, please visit the article on Position Descriptions: Training Section.

Training or Resource Type Delivery Duration Learning Objective
Required
Optional

VSF VSF 03.03.01: Levee Inspection Team Member Knowledge Base

File/Resource Description Author Publish Date