Starting a US HERO Response Unit

1. Contact US HERO at admin@ushero.org and inform us of your desire to start a unit before you begin to organize. US HERO will review your tentative plans to determine if your unit's anticipated mission does not duplicate the mission of other units already in the area. US HERO will also furnish valuable information and advice on your organizational endeavor.


2. Form an Organizing Group. The organizing group will work together to accomplish the actions outlined below. Your committee should plan to contact as many community leaders as possible to help you find prospective new members. Because of this, you might try including community leaders on your organizing group. They will be able to open doors for you and the new unit. Some suggested contacts are presidents of various civic groups, the Chamber of Commerce, prominent businessmen, religious leaders, and the mayor or city councilmen. Of course, the ideal solution is to find an organization willing to sponsor your unit; of special interest is your local sheriff dept., police dept and fire department. This is why it is so important to do the thorough research mentioned earlier. Once you have identified a legitimate need in the community, the leaders are more receptive to you and your plans. The more interest and support you obtain from the local community, the better the chance for a successful start.


3. Download the "US HERO Charter Request Form.pdf". Read the information on this website to get a good idea of how we operate. Again, email us at admin@ushero.org is you have any questions.


4. Identify an "Interim Unit Captain". To be successful, the unit will need an energetic individual interested in service to the community. The importance of finding the right person for this position cannot be overemphasized. The success of the program will be attributable more to leadership than to any other single factor. If at all possible, try to get a Captain with police, fire or military experience.


5. Decide what kind of unit you want to have. We have three primary types of units.
• Search and Rescue Unit
• Disaster Relief Unit
• Combination SAR and Disaster Relief Unit
• Note*: US HERO does not sponsor youth units. A Response Unit may choose to sponsor a youth program, but we do not charter purely youth units.


6. Select a Meeting Place. A suitable meeting place is very important. This will be the unit's "home". Get a permanent location as quickly as possible. The location should be readily accessible to all members. If at all possible, avoid meeting in a member’s home or changing the location from week to week. This will allow meetings regardless of who is on vacation or has moved and promotes a sense of permanence. The meeting place should also provide office and classroom space. If you can’t get an entire office initially, try to get a closet or storage area for permanent placement of unit files and other property. Some possible sites are fire departments, sheriff office, churches, schools, and veterans organizations' facilities.


7. Apply for a Charter. When all of the above actions have been taken, it is time to obtain a charter to officially recognize the unit as an active part of the US HERO. To obtain a charter, mail the Request for Charter Request to US HERO. A charter fee, payable to "US HERO", must accompany the request for charter in the amount of $25.00. A minimum of five member applications, with membership fees, must accompany the charter application, as this is the minimum amount of people to form a unit. Once the charter is issued, it will be mailed to the Interim Commander.

Benefits for Chartering a Unit

• Accident/Medical Insurance
• Ability to attend training and certification programs at a discount
• Standardized training, certification and operational protocols
• Discounts on equipment
• Ability to request or respond when mutual aid is needed
• Online centralized tracking of qualifications and missions in a database application
• Part of a Nationally Recognized Emergency Service organization