Disaster Response
Contribute to Disaster Response
If you are interested in helping in Resurrection’s disaster response efforts, the two greatest ways of doing so are to join the Disaster Response Team, or by contributing to the Disaster Response Fund.
Disaster Response Team
The Disaster Response Team is a group of faithful volunteers who respond to local and national disasters. Volunteers can be Early Response Trained to help communities recover from disasters such as tornados and floods on both day trips and week-long trips. Our Chainsaw Ministry helps our local community after storms by clearing damaged or fallen tree branches.
Disaster Response Fund
Our Disaster Response Fund helps us quickly respond to disasters in the United States and around the world. The fund is reactive to current needs and helps support all our response efforts.
Current Responses
Israel and Palestine
Please join us as we support local and international groups providing aid and sanctuary for those torn by the war in Israel and Palestine.
Ukraine
We are supporting peace efforts in the ongoing war in Ukraine by sending food, medical supplies, power generators, mobile clinics, and more to aid organizations in the region.
Other Response Needs
Refugees & Immigrants
Imagine losing your home, your community, your job, your school, close family members or friends. Any one of these events would create turmoil, yet many refugee and immigrant families are living with the reality of all of these at once. Resurrection works alongside local organizations making an impact in the lives of families relocating to the United States. If you are interested in serving in this ministry, fill out our Volunteer Application (select “Immigrant and Refugee Resettlement”) and leaders from these ministries will be in touch with next steps.
Be Prepared
When disaster strikes, you may not have much time to respond. A spill of hazardous material could mean immediate evacuation. A winter storm could confine your family at home. An earthquake, tornado or any other disaster could cut off basic services — gas, water, electricity and telephone — for days.
After a disaster, local officials and relief workers will not be able to reach everyone immediately. Help could come in hours, or it may take days. Will your family be ready?
Visit Prepare Metro KC to see what you can do in advance of a disaster so that when it strikes, you are not only prepared, but you can help ease the burden on the emergency management system because you were equipped.
Preparing for Disaster Response & Rebuilding Trips
Safe Gatherings is the United Methodist Church’s Great Plains Annual Conference training for the protection of minors and vulnerable adults. Safe Gatherings certification is required on all overnight trips. This online course takes very little time but the background check can take several weeks to process. Learn more about the Safe Gatherings process and begin the process here.
Many of the immediate needs of emergency relief are being addressed by organizations like the United Methodist Committee on Relief, Heart to Heart International, Team Rubicon as well as others who are faithfully responding at this critical time. We as a church family need to begin to prepare ourselves for the long-term recovery efforts, which may take months or even years.
Have a conversation with your doctor about what immunizations you might need for a trip.
Disaster Response Volunteer Opportunities
ERT Volunteer (Early Response Volunteer) – as an ERT, you are not the first responder (medical, electric company, fire department, local CERT are the first responders) but after the area is declared safe and survivors are found, this is the first group that comes in to clear debris, tarp roofs, etc.
Time Commitment:
- 8 hour certification class
- Availability to respond shortly after disaster strikes locally and regionally for either a day trip or multi-day trip.
Advertise disaster response volunteer opportunities to the church, campuses, small groups, etc. Help recruit and engage new people into the disaster response ministry. As people reach out, help place them into the area that most fits their gifts and skills.
Join a short-term serve trip in the region (generally 10 hour drive or closer) to help rebuild after a disaster has been cleaned up of debris. Participants may muck out homes from a flood, tear out walls, put up drywall, mud & tape, help with cabinetry or hanging doors, re-tile, etc.
Time Commitment:
- Attend a 2-4 hour training prior to trip departure.
- Participate in a 4-7 day reconstruction/recovery trip.
- Become Safe Gatherings Certified (if not already)
Lead a team of 6-10 people on a trip to help re-build after a disaster. Good leadership, communication, safety awareness, faith, organization (yet flexible) skills needed for this position. Must be recommended by previous team leader and staff.
Time Commitment:
- Have participated in a Resurrection Reconstruction Trip previously
- Attend a Team Leader Training
- Attend a 2-4 hour training prior to trip departure
- Participate in a 4-7 day reconstruction/recovery trip
- Become Safe Gatherings Certified (if not already)
Keep equipment ready for immediate use including upkeep on the trailer, lift, chainsaws, etc. Train people on chainsaw, skidloader and lift usage.
Trainers must have completed Resurrection training and have shown competency in area that they will train.
Work with others to ensure trailers are equipped and ready to deploy including, but not limited to restocking masks, tarps, etc. Maintaining and repairing chainsaws and other equipment.
Become chainsaw trained, then join other members of this team as needed.
Time Commitment:
- Attend a 4 hour chainsaw training and safety course.
- ERT Training may be required to deploy.
- As available assist in:
- Short trips where ERT’s are needed to clear debris post-disaster
- Local homeowners that can’t afford tree removal after a storm
- Recovery week-long trips to continue clearing property post disaster.
Want to help respond to a disaster that takes place in our community? Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) volunteers work under the leadership of the local fire department or emergency management to support a disaster in your local community.
Time Commitment:
- CERT Training – approx. 8 2-hour trainings. Occasional meetings (depending upon which county you reside).
Want to help respond to a disaster that takes place in our community? Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) volunteers work under the leadership of the local fire department or emergency management to support a disaster in your local community.
Time Commitment:
- CERT Training – approx. 8 2-hour trainings. Occasional meetings (depending upon which county you reside).
If there’s a nearby disaster and Resurrection is a Donation center, help lead the coordination and efforts of collection and distribution of donated items. This volunteer would also coordinate kit packing events (hygiene, flood buckets, etc) as needed with organizations like Heart to Heart International.
Time Commitment:
- Attend FEMA donations management training
Help plan an education event for the church. Be the liaison with the JoCo Emergency Management & Communications and see if they can participate in the fall Health Fair. Potential for planning an educational opportunity before/after worship services. Find other avenues for the JoCo Emergency Management & Communication staff to come and education people on disaster preparation.
Represent Resurrection on the COAD/VOAD – this is the group that pulls all organizations together and mobilizes them in the event of a local disaster.
Time Commitment:
- Bi-monthly meetings with the COAD & monthly meetings with the Resurrection Disaster Response Ministry
- Help Lead the VRC (Volunteer Reception Center) both in training exercises and if there was an event (disaster) nearby
Serve as a volunteer in the event there is a disaster and Resurrection (or another building nearby) is activated to serve as a VRC location.
Time Commitment:
- Volunteer during training exercises (1x a year)
- If there is an event, serve in the VRC as many hours as you are able to give:
- Greeting disaster response volunteers
- Screening volunteers
- Interview & assigning volunteers to the different agencies represented
- Data collection
