FEMA seeks 2,000 Homeland Security volunteers for disaster assistance

Michael Brown, director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, has asked for 2,000 Homeland Security Department employees to volunteer for two weeks working in the areas struck by Hurricane Katrina.

In a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, Brown wrote that 1,000 people are needed from the department within the next 48 hours and an additional 1,000 within the next week, the Associated Press reported.

Those that volunteer are being told that the work hours will be long and outdoors.

The employees will be trained at Emmitsburg, Md., Atlanta or Orlando, Fla. Workers who are bilingual or have commercial driver's licenses are especially needed.

The volunteers will be asked to bring sunscreen, sun hats, sunglasses, walking shoes, legitimate driver's licenses, over-the-counter and prescription medicines, government cell phones, computers, BlackBerrys, appropriate clothing such as walking shorts and rain equipment.

Since ATMs may not be working in the disaster areas, Brown also encouraged volunteers to bring cash.