2012 was a really tough year across the United States. Natural disasters of all kinds caused massive damage to the infrastructure and personal property. The need for trained volunteers far out stripped the supply. Fortunately, we escaped a major disaster in the Pacific Northwest this year. However, we need to be prepared in the event one does strike us.
One of ways the United Methodist Church provides support to survivors of a natural disaster is the Early Response Teams. These seven member teams deploy at the request of a church, a district, a conference or an emergency management agency as soon as the emergency phase is over. Their mission is to provide a caring Christian presence in the aftermath of a disaster. Their goal is to make the survivor’s residence safe, secure, and sanitary; and to prevent further damage. Early Response Teams do not do repair or rebuild.
Does this sound like something you’d be interested in? To become a member of an Early Response Team you must be at least 18 years old, attend an eight-hour Early Response Team basic training class, pass a national background check, and be physically capable of doing demanding work.
Three Early Response Team basic training classes are scheduled for 2013. If you are interested or have questions, please contact Jim Truitt at umvimdisasterresponse@comcast.net. The class schedule is:
April 27, 2013 | 8:30 – 4:30
Olympia First UMC, 1224 Legion Way SE, Olympia, WA
June 22, 2013 | 8:30 – 4:30
Riverview UMC, Pasco, WA 99302
October 26, 2013 | 8:30-4:30
Bellevue First UMC, 1934 108th Ave NE, Bellevue, WA 98077
November 9, 2013 | 8:30-4:30
Salmon Creek UMC, 12217 NE Highway 99, Vancouver, WA 98686
