Natural Disaster Preparedness Committee begins volunteer trainings Feb. 20

February 2, 2026  |  By Lisa Scagliotti

July 2024: Volunteers take a break helping Union Street homeowner Eric Gross dig out from a third flood in a year. Photo courtesy of CReW

The Waterbury Natural Disaster Preparedness Committee is kicking off a series of volunteer trainings on Feb. 20, with the first session focused on teaching proper techniques for mucking out flooded homes.

This is part of the committee’s effort to create a Waterbury Natural Disaster Volunteer Corps with volunteers knowledgeable about flood response steps as a way to be prepared particularly for future flooding, but also for other potential disasters such as fires, wind storms and ice events.  

From Tropical Storm Irene in 2011 through the unnamed disasters of 2023 and 2024, volunteers have been an indispensable part of recovery efforts in Waterbury and elsewhere around Vermont. “Frankly, if there were no volunteers, there would’ve been no recovery,” said John Malter, who chairs Waterbury’s Natural Disaster Preparedness Committee. 

Formed in 2024, the committee is charged with building, equipping, and training volunteers to be prepared for future natural disasters. Malter said that he believes the Waterbury Natural Disaster Volunteer Corps will be the first effort of its kind in the state. “We’ve been very pleased with the interest in the corps so far and also, once it’s fully up and running, we look forward to helping other communities do this as well,” he said.

Having a group of volunteers trained and prepared to deploy when the next flood hits is essential. “It’s pretty certain that we’ll get hit again at some point and there’s only so much we can do to prevent that. But we can create a faster, more efficient response, which is the first step toward getting back to normal,” Malter said.  

To oversee the work of the committee and preparedness efforts, Waterbury town officials have also created a part-time Natural Disaster Preparedness Coordinator position in town government. Former select board member Dani Kehlmann was appointed to that role. On Town Meeting Day, Waterbury voters will be asked to create a special Natural Disaster Reserve Fund for disaster preparedness supplies and equipment and to launch it by appropriating $14,000 from local option tax revenue. 

The upcoming training will be the first with more sessions coming later this year. The initial session will begin by teaching volunteers about clearing mud, water, and items from flooded homes immediately after a flood occurs. 

“The key is time,” Malter said. “The sooner homes and properties are cleaned up, the less the damage, and with less damage, there’s less cost, both in terms of money and people’s mental health.” 

Flood volunteers organize response efforts after the July 2023 flood. File photo by Gordon Miller

Committee member Matt Dugan will lead the Feb. 20 training. “Mucking is the dirtiest part of the recovery process, but people just appreciate you so much. So, yes, even though the work can be hot and heavy and hard, with every load you take out of a basement, that’s one step closer to making people whole again, and frankly, it’s gratifying work,” he said. 

And as recent flood cleanup efforts have proven, working alongside neighbors even builds community. “When you’re in a dark, wet basement with people you’ve never met, you become friends pretty fast,” Dugan added. 

Malter and Dugan say they have volunteers signed up for training, but there is room for more. The session will be both a social event and a learning opportunity. “We’ll serve a pizza dinner, seltzer and dessert, and we’ll talk about what goes into a mucking kit, how to dress, what to expect, and how to both do a good job and stay safe and healthy,” Malter explained. 

The training will take place in the Steele Community Room at the municipal complex from 5 to 7 p.m. Anyone who would like to sign up can do so using this online form. 

“You don’t need any special skills,” Malter assures. “It’ll be a casual, low-key evening. We’ll feed you, and we’ll get you out in time to still go enjoy your weekend.”

In the months ahead, the Natural Disater Preparedness Committee will hold trainings covering other aspects of flood response, including damage assessment, administration and communications, inventory, and transportation needed to assist with distributing food and supplies. Volunteers are encouraged to sign up for as many sessions as they’d like, in order to be knowledgeable to assist in various ways and understand the overall disaster response. 

“The more you know about someone else’s job in disaster recovery, the better it makes you at your job,” Malter said. 

In addition to the Feb. 20 training session, the Waterbury Natural Disaster Preparedness Committee meets monthly. It’s next regular meeting is on Feb. 23, from 5 to 6 p.m.