Coordinators prepare for upcoming disaster season

               Photo by Bill Rhan  

Melbourne District Superintendent W. Ray Finkles, middle, was on hand for the May 16 dedication of the new disaster supply depot at Mims UMC. The depot is the first sub-state depot in the Florida Conference, according to conference Disaster Response Coordinator Bill Rhan. The depot will house food, water and other supplies.     

By Michael Wacht

LAKELAND — June 1 is a noteworthy day in the Florida Conference. It’s the first day of the Dare to Share Jesus 1999 Florida Annual Conference Event. It’s also the first day of hurricane season.

While much of the conference’s attention is focused on the event in Lakeland, Florida Disaster Response Coordinator Bill Rhan is working to get churches ready for the natural disasters that are common to Florida in the summer. “Disasters happen at the most inopportune times, ” he said. “Even the small churches need to be prepared to respond.”

Although Florida felt little of the impact of last year’s storms, 1998 “was a very active season with 14 named tropical storms, of which 10 became hurricanes,” according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Hurricane Center.

This year’s season is expected to be just as busy. Dr. William Gray, a meteorology professor at Colorado State University and one of the top hurricane forecasters in the United States, predicts there will be 14 named storms between June 1 and Nov. 30. He says nine of those storms are predicted to become hurricanes; four will be intense — category III or stronger.

With the impending hurricane season, the continuing high risk of wildfires and the constant threat of severe weather, Rhan says every church in the Florida Conference should have a disaster response plan.

To help churches in that process, Rhan has developed a blueprint for a local church disaster response plan that is available in conjunction with training on disaster response.

Rhan says there are key things churches can do to prepare for any type of disaster:

• Establish a structure for disaster relief. This includes selecting a coordinator and leadership team.
• Determine the needs of the congregation. Assess the demographics of the church and community and learn about special situations.
• Assess areas of strength within the church and identify resources, like facilities with needed equipment and people with special skills.
• Build relationships with neighboring churches and organizations. This includes the American Red Cross, Salvation Army, Volunteers Organizations Assisting in Disaster and local Emergency Management Director.

Communication is key to a successful disaster response. Rhan says that when disaster strikes, the local church should immediately contact its:

• District superintendent, who is responsible for contacting other pastors in the district and the bishop;
• District disaster response coordinator, whose name and phone number are available at the district office; and
• District United Methodist Volunteers in Mission (UMVIM) coordinator.

After the disaster has been confirmed by the local emergency management authority, the church should contact:

• Rhan, the conference disaster response coordinator, who will contact the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) and the Conference Disaster Response Team; and
• Tom Griner, the conference UMVIM coordinator, who will contact the Southeastern Jurisdiction UMVIM office.

For more information on disaster response training or the local church response plan, contact Rhan at 904-454-7755 or TENTDOC@aol.com.

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© 1999 Florida United Methodist Review Online