The VOSG is an independent global organization of Virtual Operations Support Teams, operating in 3 languages (English, French and Spanish). Established in 2011 in the U.S., the VOSG has since registered approximately 40 teams worldwide, and helps coordinate roughly 24 teams operating in the Americas, Europe and Oceania for mutual aid support. 

Virtual Operations Support Teams (VOST) as applied to emergency management and disaster recovery is an effort to make use of new communication technologies and social media tools so that a team of trusted agents can lend support via the internet to those on-site who may otherwise be overwhelmed by the volume of data generated during a disaster. VOS Teams (VOST) are activated to perform specific functions in support of affected organizations & jurisdictions. Each VOST has a Team Leader that reports directly to the affected organization/jurisdiction. As additional VOSTs are established, a VOS Group (VOSG) may be established to coordinate the work of the VOSTs to maintain an effective span of control. 

In 2013, The VOSG became a project driven organization and has facilitated a range of projects to further information sharing and collaboration between emerging multinational VOSTs.  In 2013 and 2014, VOSG hosted #SMEMau, a special twitter chat for the Australian Bushfires in support of the work of VOST Vic  (Australia). The VOSG also successfully negotiated the legal agreement between the U.S. Department of Homeland, Security Science and Technology and Association VISOV (French VOST) for publication a French translation of a SMEM guide, adapted to suit the French MSGU constituency. 

VOSG.us owns and administers the official VOST logo, posts news in both English and Spanish, verifies information for opted-in teams, curates research material and training resources, and facilitates mentoring and consulting in the US and internationally.

Virtual Operations Support Group [VOSG]

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