How churches can
prepare to help people in a disaster
People run to the
closest church in times of trouble.
The wise church prepares for them however they can.
Updated 24jun10
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Preparations that even churches without buildings can make
- Keep a list of local resources, such as shelters, aid
organizations, places to stay, etc. See http://www.InMorganHill.org for
an example. Make a stack of copies before trouble starts, or the first
person will take your only copy and you can't print more without power.
There will always be someone who needs this even when times are good.
- Decide how you will help your community in a disaster ahead of
time. Pray about it. Put someone with the gift of administration in
charge of preparing to do it. Some churches will do a lot and some will
do just a little. But all should do something.
- Designate a Disaster Readiness Coordinator. This is one
accessable person who can act as liason to your local Office of
Emergency Services (OES), the Red Cross, CERT, and any other
organizations you wish to maintain contact with.
Simple preparations
- Most organizations
wait for the toilet paper to run out before buying more. Never do this.
Buy in bulk, and it is time to buy again when you are down to a three
weeks supply.
- Create a food bank. There is always someone out of work and
needing
food even in the best of times. The food bank is priceless in the worst
of times. Keep a few can openers that don't need electricity.
- Keep a box of respirators. A respirator is a dust mask with two
strings. They are good to have for repairs and great to have when
things go wrong.
Simple disaster
supplies
- Keep a box of
essential supplies for just in case. They are helpful for normal
operations, too. And you can never tell if or why some church members
will be unable to go into their home.
- A first aid kit
- Some work gloves
- Some shoelaces
- A bag of socks
- Feminine supplies
- Baby supplies
- A sewing kit
- Sunblock
- Some disposable rain ponchos
- A few blankets
- Plenty of liquid soap
- Some towels and a stack of washcloths
- Combs
- Disposable razors
- A jug of unscented bleach
- Post-its and pencil stubs
- Stuff to make signs
Some more expensive
preparations (not
appropriate for some churches)
- Set up a kitchen.
These are very handy for church functions.
- Keep a generator that can run some lights, a computer, the
refrigerator, the copier or printer, and a few other essential machines.
- Have a well or a way to purify water when the water &
electricity
is out.
- Partner with the city/county OES (Office of Emergency Services)
and Red
Cross to use the building as a shelter.
- Add some plumbing so a shower-head can be screwed in somewhere on
short
notice.