“The mission of an Early Response Team is to provide a caring
Christian presence in the aftermath of a disaster.”
It’s Saturday afternoon in Eastern North Carolina.
Since this time last Saturday, as each hour has passed, countless families in the small communities that make up the New Bern, Elizabeth City, Greenville and Rocky Mount Districts of our Annual Conference have been trying to begin the process of putting their lives back together. But it sometimes appears to be an insurmountable task for the survivors.
Stress levels are high, hearts are broken and the destruction is widespread. For many of these folks, there is no one to help them remove the water-soaked furniture, carpet and personal belongings from their homes. No neighbors. No family. No one.
Yet, as of this morning, few have responded to help. The question has already been asked, “Where is the United Methodist Church?”
Due to the critical need and the level of response to date, volunteers, regardless of previous disaster experience or length of availability are needed and will be deployed as soon as possible as per the following guidelines.
GENERAL GUIDELINES
Early Response Teams are still preferred. However, volunteers with no previous training or related experience training can be utilized under the following guidelines:
First, volunteers should be “Disaster Sensitive.”
For those persons responding from within the NC Annual Conference:
- The Team Leader must have received UMCOR-approved Early Response Training. Expired credentials will be accepted
- Team Members or Individuals need not possess any previous ERT training
- Individuals will be matched with an existing team
For those persons responding from outside the NC Annual Conference:
- The Team Leader must have received UMCOR-approved Early Response Training and their credentials must be current (i.e. their badge is not expired)
- Team Members should have received previous UMCOR-approved Early Response Training. Expired credentials will be accepted
TO REGISTER TO VOLUNTEER:Anyone wishing to serve as a volunteer, regardless of experience or location, is asked to register with the North Carolina Conference Disaster Response Call Center. Team Leaders are asked to register for their respective team.
Choose one of the following:
1. Visit www.nccumvim.org and register your availability to serve as an individual or as a team.
2. Contact the NC Disaster Response Call Center directly at (888) 440-9167 or via email at disasterresponse@nccumc.org.
You will be asked to provide the appropriate contact and supplemental information to allow the staff to match your skills with the requests for help in the most efficient manner possible.
Please feel free to forward this email to those persons you know who might have a desire to serve in this much needed ministry.
With heartfelt appreciation,
Bill Gross, Coordinator
UMVIM, NC Conference