When Disasters Strike, We Respond

The Great Plains Disaster Response Ministry can help you make this a reality.  The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) had developed a tool to get us started in our preparations. There are three modules, which can be stand-alone trainings themselves or in combination of one another. Each module begins with a 30-45 minute Disaster Ministry Overview, during which participants will understand how our United Methodist structure enhances the local church’s capabilities for disaster readiness and response.

• Module 1: Ready Congregants focuses on preparing individuals and families to be disaster-ready. Objectives: Participants will be inspired to take action to prepare themselves, their households and others before and immediately following a disaster. Time: 2 hours of training. Target Audience: Everyone.
   
• Module 2: Ready Churches emphasizes the importance of protecting church property and the people within the property, before and immediately following a disaster, and of appropriate use of church property in disaster response. Objectives: Participants will (1) identify one or more steps to take in order to mitigate against disaster-caused damage to property; (2) identify one or more steps to take to prevent harm to people who are present in or on church property when disasters or emergencies occur; and (3) be able to assess the utilization of church property following a disaster within or near the community of the church. Time: 2 hours of training. Target Audience: Everyone, especially church leaders including, but not limited to, pastors, trustees, Sunday School superintendent, lay leader, church disaster coordinator, missions coordinator, treasurer, finance committee members, young adult, youth representatives and others. 
   
• Module 3: Ready Response encourages churches to explore their capacities for various disaster response ministries and to consider ways to engage community partners. Objective: Participants will (1) be able to identify at least one disaster ministry their churches might be willing and able to implement before and/or after a community disaster; and (2) initiate a preliminary plan to engage the church and to cooperate with other households of faith and the community in order to be prepared to respond in the event of a disaster. Time: 2 hours of training. Target Audience: Everyone interested in disaster-ready congregations and communities, particularly disaster, mission and outreach personnel, lay leaders, United Methodist Women, United Methodist Men, youth ministry leaders, lay servants and Stephen Ministers.
  
  To schedule one or more of these module trainings and/or for more information, contact Rev. Hollie Tapley, Conference Disaster Response Coordinator, at [email protected]