By Douglas Hoy, SUSUMC Disaster Response Coordinator
When disasters happen, it is generally the local churches that provide the most immediate response to those in their communities who have a need. This basic understanding – that disaster response is local – forms the foundation for UMCOR’s U.S. disaster training and response efforts. Building on that foundation, the Susquehanna Conference utilizes a multi-faceted approach to aid in any response or relief efforts, both within the Conference and abroad.
The goals of the Conference’s disaster response plan include promoting READINESS through planning, training, and equipping congregations and individuals, well in advance of a disaster, to prepare them to respond. This phase involves providing training opportunities including:
Connecting Neighbors - A disaster response 101 course that guides and equips congregations as they prepare for disasters in their community.
First Aid and CPR – Courses designed to teach the basics of first aid to train volunteers how to address emergencies.
Early Response Team – A program designed to train volunteers to fill a specific need in the early days after a disaster. Those needs include cleaning out flood-damaged homes, removing debris, placing tarps on homes, and preventing further damage.
Spiritual/Emotional Care Team – The course helps volunteers understand the inner emotional and spiritual turmoil that survivors, emergency responders, and UMC volunteers experience as they face the outward physical challenges of disaster recovery.
Volunteers in Mission (VIM) Team Leader – This course prepares the individual to lead an UMVIM Team locally, nationally, or globally.
The RESPONSE is the next phase of the plan. In brief, this phase brings together the connection system of the United Methodist Church to support a response to a disaster. During the response phase, individuals generally feel and immediate call to support the affected area. And, there are many opportunities to become involved. However, the most important thing to understand is that there is a process in place to organize the response in such a manner that every person, group, resource, and donation is used appropriately and effectively.
UMCOR and the local Conference Disaster Response Coordinator (CDRC) collaborate with non-profit organizations and local, state, and federal agencies in the immediate aftermath of a disaster. As part of that process, assessments are accomplished, needs are identified, and the area is determined to be safe to enter. When these tasks are completed, the information is shared with UMCOR and the local CDRC. At this point, an invitation will be communicated outlining exactly what resources are needed, where they are needed, and an organized response can begin. Without this process, confusion and disorganization can occur. For these reasons, United Methodist volunteers are asked to wait for the invitation and not self-deploy.
In anticipation of an invitation, the Susquehanna Conference Disaster Response Coordinator and the VIM Director may attempt to identify potential interest in filling needs by reaching out to congregations and trained individuals. When the invitation is received, the details will be conveyed through numerous communication channels including Conference e-mail, QuikLINK, and social media outlets as well as District and local church newsletters. Those details will include identifying the specific need, the location of that need, what type of volunteers are required, and a general time frame for meeting those needs.
In the early days following a disaster, these invitations generally ask for Early Response Teams, which are specially trained, and FEMA credentialed, to preform short-term response work. This work could last a few weeks or more. As the response and recovery phase expands, invitations are then extended to include VIM Teams for support with the long-term clean-up and rebuilding.
While waiting can be difficult, there are other opportunities to serve. Of course, the first is to PRAY. Spend time, individually and collectively, praying for those who are affected. This can be a powerful tool in the immediate and long-term aftermath of a disaster. Petition God for direction and guidance on how you can be involved. And, ask God to provide R.E.L.I.E.F. for the affected community.
- Revealing God’s protections
Psalm 20:1 - Embracing a community in need
James 2:16 - Loving unconditionally
John 13:34 - Introducing compassion
2 Corinthians 1:3-7 - Emphasizing hope
Romans 15:13 - Fostering restoration, physically and spiritually
1 Peter 5:10
Another way to become involved in the response while waiting for an invitation is to GIVE. The financial need after a disaster is great and there are many needs that can be met through generous giving. And, giving through and Advance will ensure 100% of the donation reaches your chosen designation. If a congregation wishes to receive an offering, those funds can be submitted through the Conference Treasurer’s Remittance Report in Section A and mailed to the Conference Office. Checks should be made payable to the Susquehanna Conference, with the designation for the appropriate Advance: UMCOR US Disaster Response and Recovery (Advance # 901670), or UMCOR International Disaster Response and Recovery (Advance # 982450). If you wish to allow UMCOR to determine where to use the funds, the offering can be designated “Where Most Needed” (Advance #999895). For individual giving, these same options are available and can be accomplished on-line by CLICKING HERE.
The Susquehanna Conference Disaster Response Ministry Advance (Advance # 8055) provides another opportunity to support disaster response. Funds designated to this Advance will support response and relief efforts within the Conference as well as support Conference teams when they mobilize to other areas.
There are also multiple opportunities to VOLUNTEER. Congregations can provide relief supply kits to help care for the most vulnerable during times of crisis. UMCOR collects school kits, cleaning buckets and hygiene kits assembled by United Methodist volunteers for distribution after disasters in the United States and its territories. Information about those kits and how to assemble them can be found by CLICKING HERE.
Volunteers are also needed at UMCOR’s two relief-supply depots, UMCOR Sager Brown (Louisiana) and UMCOR Depot West (Utah) as well as at Mission Central (Mechanicsburg, PA). When kits are assembled and donated, volunteers at these locations will assemble, verify, and pack the kits until they are needed.
For more information on volunteering at an UMCOR Relief Supply Depot, CLICK HERE.
For more information on volunteering at Mission Central, CLICK HERE.
Find out more about Susquehanna Conference Disaster Response at:
Website: www.susmb.org
Facebook: @SUSDisasterResponse
Twitter: @UMCDisasterResp
