Early preview. We are building this in the open. The list is still growing, so some groups are missing and some details may be out of date.
CERT teams, Red Cross, first aid, volunteer fire companies
20 groups so far
Narrow these down by cost, days and more
Nonprofit
The Red Cross regional office for southeastern Pennsylvania uses volunteers to staff city evacuation shelters and reunification sites and to help people after home fires.
Last seen active: April 2025
Program
A two year program for teens that teaches firefighting and EMS basics through Saturday training at the Fire Academy, and members who finish earn points toward civil service exams.
Last seen active: April 2024
Nonprofit
A volunteer group that searches for missing people across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. Its searches are free for families, and its volunteers train in search skills and stay on call around the clock.
Last active date not known yet
Student group
A Penn student group that raises awareness of heart disease and serves West Philadelphia. Members learn CPR, share health information, and can volunteer at Penn hospitals and shadow physicians.
Last seen active: September 2026
Club 路 North Delaware
A ham radio club that meets monthly, runs a weekly radio net, and supports public service radio work for the Philadelphia area.
Last seen active: July 2026
Student group
Penn's student-run emergency medical service. Members give pre-hospital care with campus police and the Philadelphia Fire Department, and the team teaches medical skills to students and the wider community.
Last seen active: September 2026
Nonprofit
A statewide nonprofit of volunteers who help animals and the people who care for them during disasters and emergencies, such as house fires and loose livestock. The City of Philadelphia points local volunteers to its Philadelphia County division.
Last seen active: October 2026
Network or meetup 路 Online
Volunteer ham radio operators who provide emergency communications for the Southeastern Pennsylvania Red Cross, run radio nets, and train for disaster response.
Last seen active: October 2025
Program 路 Central
A city volunteer unit that helps during public health emergencies, disasters, and big public events such as the marathon. You do not need a medical background to join.
Last seen active: January 2025
Program
Registers and trains medical, public health and support volunteers that the Department of Public Health deploys during public health emergencies and large City events.
Last seen active: March 2025
Club 路 Central
A Philadelphia alumnae chapter of Delta Sigma Theta, chartered in 1976. It serves the city through education, health, emergency preparedness and social action, and some of its events are open to the public.
Last seen active: October 2026
Student group
A Penn student group that connects the Philadelphia Red Cross with the Penn campus, mostly through volunteer shifts at blood drives.
Last active date not known yet
Nonprofit
A faith-based charity whose Greater Philadelphia unit uses volunteers for meals, holiday service, and disaster response. In February 2025, its volunteers served meals to first responders during the plane crash recovery and at the Eagles parade.
Last seen active: April 2025
Nonprofit 路 Lower Northwest
A volunteer association that brings meals, warm supplies, and rest support to first responders at fires, police incidents, and big city events.
Last seen active: February 2025
Network or meetup
A coalition of disaster relief groups in the Philadelphia region that plans together before disasters and matches community needs with member services afterward.
Last seen active: April 2025
Nonprofit
A Philadelphia association for firefighters and EMS workers that promotes Hispanic and Latino representation in emergency services. It also gives out free smoke detectors, teaches CPR and first aid, and hosts family events for neighbors.
Last seen active: October 2026
Student group
The Penn chapter of a national student group. Members build kid-friendly first aid kits and share them with communities that need them.
Last active date not known yet
Nonprofit
A national disaster response group whose volunteers, called Greyshirts, deploy after disasters and do home repair and recovery work. Its volunteers helped finish flood repairs in Philadelphia's Eastwick neighborhood in November 2024.
Last seen active: April 2025
Student group 路 Lower North
A student-run volunteer ambulance crew at Temple that gives basic life support care on campus and in the nearby North Philadelphia neighborhood. Its clinical members are certified EMTs.
Last active date not known yet
Program 路 Central
The City's Town Watch program trains, organizes, and equips residents who want to join a Town Watch group on their block. It also supports CERT, a disaster response program.
Last seen active: May 2026
Includes: community emergency response teams, disaster relief volunteers, first aid and cpr, volunteer fire and ambulance companies, preparedness classes and planning, heat and cold checks on neighbors, search and rescue.