Announcements

Hi there. This is Al Miller, I am the Director of Disaster Ministries for the North Carolina Conference of The United Methodist Church. I want to thank you. I want to thank you for looking in today. I want to thank you for your efforts. Thank you for helping us help those who need the help the most. As we are working right now through Hurricane Matthew and Hurricane Florence, we were hit again. The latest hurricane to come has impacted the Outer Banks area of our state tremendously (down east as we like to call it). We need your help, we need volunteers, ERTs to call the Call Center to get scheduled to come and help. We have several hundred homes that need assistance. We have people who are not inside of their homes now because of the flood, because of the rain, because of the water. We need to do everything we can to get them back home again. In addition to that we have our ongoing long term recovery groups which are still trying to assist those who were forced out of their homes by Hurricanes Florence and Matthew three years ago. Three years these people have been trying to get back home. The Methodist Church and NC Conference of The United Methodist Church, with your support, has done a tremendous job helping those people return home. The efforts continue today. Please join us. Please join me. Please join our team. We need your prayers. We need your presence. We need you on site with us each and every day so we can help these people return home as quickly as possible. God Bless you.

As Hurricane Dorian approaches NC, Jaye White, Director of Outreach Ministry, shares how the NC Conference is ready to respond if needed.

Disaster Ministries began a disaster preparation series based on our Connecting Neighbors program. Last week, we highlighted steps individuals can take to prepare their homes. This week’s disaster preparedness topic will focus on church preparation. 

Read our Hurricane Preparation Checklist and article on Disaster Preparedness for individuals.

For more information on church preparation, read the United Methodist Insurance’s emergency preparedness handbook for churches.

Here are a few steps your church can take to prepare for natural disasters:

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice. Please contact your insurance company for more information.

Communication Strategies and Responsibilities

Establish a communications plan for how the church will prepare and respond to a disaster. Make sure church staff members know their responsibilities for preparation and assessment. Create a calling tree to check on congregation members following a storm. 

Congregational Records and Contact Information

Compile a list of contact information of the congregation and staff. Have a physical copy with you in case you are unable to access information online or on church computer systems. Be sure to share the contact information with staff or leaders of the calling tree. Make sure to have copies of important documents, such as church records, archives, and church history, in case the documents are damaged in the storm. Consider purchasing waterproof file boxes to protect important information. 

Worship Cancellation / Closures and Delays

Does the church have an alternative worship site available? Once a decision is made about closures or delays, whose responsibility is it to communicate to local TV and radio stations? If social media will be used, who is responsible for posting announcements? Make plans for in-church and out-church ministry programs during and after a disaster.

Church Property

Are evacuation plans in place and posted around the property? If people need to shelter in place, are those locations clearly identified? Who will help secure the church property? Who will assess the damage after a disaster? Make sure that any damage to church property or parsonages is reported to the District Superintendent and the District Disaster Relief Coordinator.

Insurance

What does the church’s insurance cover? How soon do you need to file a claim? Talk with your insurance company to see what is covered, how to properly file storm damage claims, and what information will be needed.

Inventory 

Take an inventory of the church to document items and their conditions. Brotherhood Mutual Property is a great resource to find inventory lists. Taking photos or videos of the condition of the church is also beneficial when filing insurance claims.

Disaster Kits

Create disaster kits for church members that contains water, food, and supplies for up to 72 hours. Churches can also prepare relief kits containing cleaning and hygiene supplies. For the list of relief kit items, visit the UMCOR Kits page on our website. All relief kits should be delivered to the MERCI Center in Goldsboro, NC for distribution.  

Emergency Updates

It is important to have access to severe weather updates and information from emergency officials. Know where your local emergency shelters are located and what the evacuation routes are for your location. Download the FEMA or the ReadyNC app to stay updated during a storm.

If you would like more information on how to prepare for natural disasters, call 888-440-9167 or email disaster@nccumc.org to sign up for the Connecting Neighbors program.

Now that hurricane season has begun, it is important to know how to prepare your household in the event of a natural disaster. Disaster Ministries offers a Connecting Neighbors course, which details how to prepare your home, church, and community.  From inventory to disaster kits, there are several ways you can begin preparing now! 

Here are a few steps you can take to prepare for natural disasters based on our Connecting Neighbors Program: 

Read our Hurricane Preparation Checklist. For information on church preparation, read our article on Disaster Preparation for Churches.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice. Please contact your insurance company for more information.

Emergency Contact Information

Write down a list of emergency contacts and keep a physical copy with you. It is important to include an emergency contact that lives out of your area and can be reached by emergency officials. Make sure you share the contact information with your family members. 

Disaster Kits

Create a disaster kit that contains water, food, and supplies for up to 72 hours. If you already have a kit, make sure the spare batteries work and the food is not expired. Include medications, spare batteries, flashlights, cash, and identification in your kit. Don’t forget your pets when you are gathering your supplies – you’ll need food, water, and medications for them, too! Visit the Red Cross or FEMA website for a list of items to include in your kit. 

Inventory 

Take an inventory of your home to document the items and their condition in your home. Download mobile apps such as Sortly, Memento Database, UPHelp, or visit Brotherhood Mutual Property for an inventory list. Taking pictures or videos of the condition of your home and personal belongings is also beneficial when filing insurance claims for storm damage. When you take pictures, make sure to get serial numbers, if you can. If you have warranty paperwork for certain items, it may be helpful to keep that with the inventory.

Insurance

What does your insurance cover? How soon do you need to file a claim? Talk with your insurance company to see what your plan covers and how to properly file storm damage claims. 

Evacuation and Family Response Plans

Before a storm create an emergency plan for your family. Make sure your vehicles are fueled up and ready to drive. Establish calling trees, locate storm shelters and make necessary arrangements for your pets.

Important Documentation

Make sure to have copies of important documents, such as titles, health care, social security, vehicle information, utility bills, birth certificate, and mortgage information, in case documents are damaged in the storm. Consider purchasing a small fireproof/waterproof file box to keep everything together and protected.

Emergency Updates

It is important to have access to severe weather updates and information from emergency officials. Know where your local emergency shelters are located and what the evacuation routes are for your location. Download the FEMA or the ReadyNC app to stay updated during a storm.

Prepare NOW

The best time to prepare for a storm is when the skies are clear. Inventories, disaster kits, home evacuation plans, app downloads – all of this is easier to do before the storm is bearing down. Take the time to be prepared.

If you would like more information on how to prepare for natural disasters, call 888-440-9167 or email disaster@nccumc.org to sign up for the Connecting Neighbors program.