The Township Committee has established a new advisory body, the Middletown Volunteer Corps, to maximize the power of citizens who want to help out in emergencies.

The first task of the newly-established Middletown Volunteer Corps will manage volunteer services during recovery phase of Superstorm Sandy.

The Volunteer Corps will also be available to help emergency responders during future disasters and serve as a resource for the community, said Mayor Tony Fiore in a statement.

Nine advisory committee seats are available. The committee will oversee a permanent registry of residents who can be available to volunteer in times of emergency. The committee will also develop a strategic plan regarding the organization, structure and mission of the Middletown Volunteer Corp including strategies for recruitment, training and community-based activities in which volunteers can register to participate.

“Middletown is well-known as a vibrant community with a very strong volunteer spirit,” Fiore said. “However, the volume of volunteers we encountered in the wake of Superstorm Sandy was intense. The experience highlighted the need to create a more permanent mechanism to register and dispatch volunteers where they are needed most at any given time.”

Residents interested in volunteering their time to assist in the creation and management of the Middletown Volunteer Corps are encouraged to submit an application on the Middletown Citizen Leadership Form. (See attached document.)

Applications should be sent to Middletown Citizen Leadership Act, c/o Township Clerk, Town Hall, 1 Kings Highway, Middletown, NJ 07748.

Call 732-615-2015 for more information.