THE BALTIMORE-WASHINGTON CONFERENCE DISASTER RESPONSE PLAN VISION

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1 THE BALTIMORE-WASHINGTON CONFERENCE DISASTER RESPONSE PLAN VISION As people called by God to be servant leaders of the church in the Baltimore Washington Conference, we acknowledge the profound mystery of pain, suffering, and death in the world. With Christians throughout the ages we pray for the coming of God's reign in all of Creation. We live in active expectancy of the time when there will be no more weeping, nor cries of distress, when all children shall live beyond infancy and all old people shall live out their days, when justice shall roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream, and when all the earth shall be as full of the knowledge of God as the waters cover the sea. Meanwhile, we give thanks that God has raised up trained individuals to coordinate and strengthen the servant leadership of the church for disaster response and recognize the unique gifts and graces of these servants. We affirm that by working collaboratively in the oneness of the Body of Christ they are much more effective and responsive than they are working alone. As The United Methodist Church is a connectional system, so too is our church's response to anything that causes strife to God's people. In the case of a disaster not only do local resources come into play, but conference and General Church (UMCOR) agencies become available to the situation as needed. This both provides for a greater response and serves to bind us together in the helping of God's people in need. The Emergency Operation: The police, fire, and rescue units are responsible for locating and saving survivors. The American Red Cross has been mandated to be the first voluntary unit on site. (UMCOR has an agreement with the Red Cross that follows this preface.) The Red Cross will arrange for temporary shelters, feeding stations, damage assessment, etc. A role for the local church may be as a temporary shelter, feeding station, working facility for the Red Cross, etc. After the Emergency: While the emergency phase may last for only several days, the relief and rebuilding efforts may take months and years to accomplish. In the relief phase debris needs to be cleaned up, temporary repairs made, and property protected. In the rebuilding phase, permanent repairs are made and complete houses may be replaced. 1

2 City/county, state, and federal governments have agencies that can help with these phases. Also, private insurance companies will play a role. Much depends on the severity of the disaster. The local disaster coordinator needs to identify the governmental agencies. The local phone book will give a starting point in the government section. Where does The United Methodist Church fit in? There is always much to do. Pastoral counseling by both clergy and laypersons is needed. The victims need friendly words and assurances that we care. Children especially need support. Volunteers are always needed to help with cleanup. If you are credentialed by the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR), the police will usually let you into the disaster area. Finally, there are people who do not have insurance or qualify for governmental assistance to make repairs. Here is a place for the United Methodist Volunteers in Mission (UMVIM) teams to operate. Why does The United Methodist Church need to be there? It is an opportunity for Christian service for those who want to give of their time. It reassures survivors that the church cares about them. It provides visibility and reassurance for The United Methodist Church. It provides immediate assistance to persons, usually older or disabled, which might not have their support system (family) nearby to assist. It speeds the response to survivors. We, as United Methodists, can be "first in" and "last out." Volunteers needed: The time to prepare is now. Each district and congregation needs at least one person who is identified as a Disaster Response Coordinator. That pastor or layperson should be Early Response Team (ERT) certified by UMCOR and familiar with the enclosed plan. Local church volunteer names should be passed to the District, Regional, and Conference Disaster Response Coordinators. Maryland VOAD (Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster): Nearly every state has a VOAD organization. The VOAD function is to be a coordinating agency for all efforts being devoted to disaster assistance. The Baltimore-Washington Conference is a member of the Maryland VOAD. Through this VOAD agency we can be more effective. Each organization will list their available services so that duplication and confusion can be reduced. 2

3 DEFINITION A disaster is any specific event which results in overwhelming physical, economic, and/or emotional damage to a community. Central Understandings of Disaster Response: 1. The Bishop will invite the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) to participate in the response and recovery. UMCOR will respond with leadership and resources applicable to the need. 2. The role of the Conference Committee on Disaster Response will be to center on organization and training. General oversight of the disaster response/recovery will be with the Conference Disaster Response/Recovery Office. 3. An ecumenical approach will be used whenever possible to maximize all assets and to reduce the redundancy of services to a community. 4. Pastoral Care will be provided by local pastors and conference resources. 5. Prospective leaders and hired staff will be identified and trained to be ready for "call-up." This training will include UMCOR Early Response Team training. If a conference disaster leader is hired, that person will participate in the selection of satellite directors and will supervise those persons in consultation with the district superintendent and regional coordinator. All payrolls will be handled through the conference treasurer's office. 6. The disbursement of resources will be made available on an as needed basis to the affected areas. 3

4 Types of Disasters: Natural disaster: storms, earthquakes, hurricanes, or other natural phenomena. Technical disaster: careless, accidental or intentional abuse of the environment. Economic disaster: sudden loss of income due to shifts in local economy. Civil disaster: riots or civil disturbances in a community. Accidental disaster: traffic accidents, fire, or other tragic occurrences. Other: pandemics, terrorism, war. Phases of a Disaster: Preparation phase - a time for planning and training, ongoing Response Phase - o Emergency - disaster strikes, emergency services and rescue efforts, security o Relief - Damage assessment, media coverage and emergency assistance for immediate needs, planning and organizing for long term Recovery Phase - time of putting things back to "normal", church becomes more involved. o For some it is short term, for others it is a long and complex situation. o Long Term Recovery Committees (LTRC) are formed, rebuilding and repairing. o Other Needs Assistance (ONA) Mitigation Phase - doing what is possible to prevent disaster-related damage, reviewing plans and responses for ways to improve. Levels of a Disaster: Low Level - involves a limited number of households; assistance provided by local churches and districts, with notification to the District Superintendent. Medium Level - involves an entire community or several scattered communities, assistance provided by organizing district response through the Regional Disaster Coordinator and the District Superintendent. High Level - involves a wide area and requires a massive response by state and national agencies, disaster response committee organizes a conference-wide response to the crisis and assists districts and local churches. 4

5 GETTING READY A copy of the Local Church Disaster Manual and The Baltimore-Washington Conference Disaster Response Plan shall be available in every local church and on the conference website. LOCAL CLERGY AND CHURCH The local church and its pastor should be familiar with the Local Church Disaster Manual and The Baltimore-Washington Conference Disaster Response Plan to the degree that all the questions regarding disaster response can be answered. Additional resources may be found on the conference website. DISTRICT The District Superintendent and the Regional Disaster Coordinator will work together to ensure that the district and region is adequately prepared to respond in case a disaster strikes. RESIDENT BISHOP All committees are responsible to the Bishop. They will ensure that all the regions are adequately equipped and trained to respond in the event of a disaster. CONFERENCE COMMITTEE ON DISASTER RESPONSE The Conference Committee on Disaster Response manages and oversees administrative issues of disaster response for the Baltimore-Washington Conference. This includes: Overseeing the development and implementation of policies and procedures for disaster response in the Baltimore-Washington Conference. Establishing short term and long term strategies for disaster response, including guidelines for the role of the conference and local churches in long term recovery and determining if advocacy is needed at the state level. Establish and maintain relationships with other Maryland Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster (MVOAD) members both within the state and on the national level. The Conference Committee on Disaster Response's (CCDR) primary role is to provide the administrative framework that enables the rest of the team to respond effectively and in a timely fashion. The CCDR consists of: the Conference Coordinator, four Regional Coordinators, and conference staff members appointed by the Bishop. 5

6 Theology of Disaster Response Those affected by a disaster will ask many difficult questions, some of which may have no easy answer. Some may ask, "Why did this occur?" "Is this God's judgment upon us?" "Are we to blame?" "Must I have done something wrong to deserve this?" "Is this the work of the devil?" "Is God to blame?" It is best to counsel people not to blame themselves, other people or God. Some may blame God for creating the disaster. A disaster, as a phenomenon of nature, is NOT an "act of God." Elijah, standing at the mouth of a cave, witnessed a wind so strong that it "rent the mountains, and broke in pieces the rocks." But God was not so much revealed in the power of the wind, earthquake, and fire as in the sheer silence. Now there was a great wind. Yahweh was not on the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but Yahweh was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but Yahweh was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of sheer silence. 1 Kings 19:11b-12, NRSV The remark that seems to be most fitting was one made by a pastor who simply said, "These are things that happen." There's a lot of healing in that statement. Instead of trying to figure out who we can blame for a disaster (God, the devil, or ourselves for incurring the wrath of either), it seems to be much healthier to accept the fact that it occurred and move on. The important thing after a disaster is how we respond to that which has happened! People need to express their emotional response to someone who can listen with understanding. People who have experienced loss will be involved with grief work, and others will begin putting their lives back in order. Spiritual and emotional healing needs to begin with understanding, patience, and prayer. We believe that God is faithful: God is and will be with us; that nothing can separate us from the love of God; that God can fetch good out of evil and work through those who are responding to the disaster, whatever their creed; and that "God can make the valley of trouble a door of hope and the flood or ill a fountain of blessing." 6

7 Christian Response to Disasters The Church has a unique ministry during and after a disaster of any kind. Disasters provide some of the greatest opportunities to minister to the needs of the community. The Church's involvement or lack of involvement speaks volumes and leaves a lasting imprint upon the lives of those directly affected by disaster. The witness of Christian love and concern can reassure victims of the love of God at the very time when that love is both questioned and needed more than ever. To this end, the local churches of this conference must address the needs of all those who are survivors of a disaster. UMCOR's Role United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) is the humanitarian relief and development agency of The United Methodist Church. Compelled by Christ, UMCOR responds to natural or human-made disasters, interruptions of such magnitude that they overwhelm a community's ability to recover on its own. UMCOR's mission is to alleviate human suffering. They provide practical, proactive support to the most vulnerable survivors of chronic or temporary emergencies due to a natural or civil cause. UMCOR honors cultural differences. All people have God-given dignity and worth. UMCOR always works with partners - usually in local settings. UMCOR is a good steward of our gifts and grants. UMCOR avoids tying the promise of its relief and development activity to any religious or political viewpoint. UMCOR welcomes the good efforts of countless individuals and churches who support them through gifts and prayers and service. They incorporate volunteer action everywhere they can and ask their supporters to accept that sometimes it is not appropriate. UMCOR will provide through the conference: o Pre-disaster training and counsel o Cash grants o During a disaster, UMCOR will provide consulting services to the conference UMCOR assists the conference only after an invitation from the Bishop. 7

8 ACRYNOMYNS CCDR ERT LTRC ONA RDC UMCOR UMVIM VOAD MVOAD Conference Committee on Disaster Response Early Response Team Long Term Recovery Committee Other Needs Assistance Regional Disaster Coordinator United Methodist Committee on Relief United Methodist Volunteers In Mission Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster Maryland Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster Local Emergency Offices Maryland Montgomery County: Prince George County: Baltimore County: Virginia Fairfax County: Loudoun County: Prince William County: Washington D.C. Washington D.C.: West Virginia West Virginia State Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness: