VSF 03.03.01: Levee Inspection Team Member

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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
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