Submitted by: Linda Schoene, Parish Nurse
Times of disaster are unpredictable and devastating for those involved. The
American Red Cross (ARC) is one source of assistance. Local ARC disaster services
coordinator Jo Flint is aware that churches are often one of the first to say,
“How can we help?” when disaster strikes. While offers of help are
most appreciated, lack of preparedness inhibits the effectiveness of this resource.
The ARC offers training and support for those organizations willing to serve
as disaster shelters. Ms. Flint’s goal is to have one shelter per zip
code. Our new facilities are well suited to serve in this role. The Church Council
has approved a proposal from the Health Ministry Team, in partnership with the
ARC, that Christ the King Church serve as a shelter.
While Allison quickly comes to mind, the most likely disaster is an apartment fire that displaces individuals and families from their homes. In such an event, CTK would provide the space and the people to organize and run a temporary shelter. The average time a shelter remains open is three days. CTK would decide how many individuals the facility can comfortably house and feed. CTK would also decide what parts of the church would be utilized. A team of 20-30 individuals would coordinate the 24-hour per day management of the shelter. Promotion of this endeavor will expand beyond CTK to include participation from local businesses and neighborhoods.
In turn, the ARC would provide the training, paperwork, some equipment and financial support. Depending on the extent of the disaster, equipment such as cots and blankets is usually available. Financial support from the ARC covers expenses for food and utilities above CTK’s normal operating costs for that time of year. The ARC also has a liability policy that covers these situations.
Training consists of a 2 - hour session for 20-30 volunteers. Roles addressed in the training session include shelter management, registration, feeding, sleeping management, health services, client services, staff recruitment and logistics. The ARC offers a review of preparedness training every two years. The training event is currently scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 25 from 9-11 a.m.
CTK is blessed with so many resources, especially the time and talents of its members. Serving as a shelter is one more way to fulfill our mission as a village church with a global mission. For more information or to volunteer for the Shelter Team please contact Linda Schoene or Beverly Davis.