Conference Disaster Response Team assessing storm damage and volunteer needs
The North Alabama Conference Disaster Response Team is working with District Offices and assessing damage from the storms that passed through the North Alabama Conference area in the early hours of Monday, January 23, 2012.
North Alabama Conference Director of Mission and Advocacy Rev. Matt Lacey shared this message earlier today in an email to the Disaster Response Update email list.
Our prayers go out to all those affected by last night's storms as lives were lost and homes and buildings were damaged. Our heart goes out especially to those who had to relive the trauma of April 27th, 2011 once again.
I would like to once again urge caution as we begin to assess the situation and let local law enforcement and rescue agencies do their jobs first, by helping those in immediate danger. The most important task right now is opening up lines of communication and getting reports of damage so that we can help when the time comes. We do not discourage neighbors helping neighbors as long as the situation is safe.
Right now as power is out in many areas, communication is a concern. If you have damage to church property or mass damage to a particular area of the conference that has not been reported by the media, please email me at mlacey@northalabamaumc.org, use your smartphone to post on our Facebook wall at www.facebook.com/missionsnal with reports.
We recognize that the people who were effected the most by the storms will not get this email, but we hope that as you get reports from your family and friends, you will relay this information to us. Myself and Rev. John Hassell, the Disaster Response Coordinator for the conference, are working to assess the damage and mobilze ERT teams when the time comes.
Again, please stay safe and do not mobilize any ERT team until the call is sent out and local officials have had time to do their jobs.
Blessings,
Matt
Rev. Lacey adds that trained ERT (Early Response Team) volunteers can begin to prepare for response efforts by getting their team and supplies organized for when the Conference puts out the call for ERT volunteers. He reminds teams that the Conference Disaster Response Team must defer to local officials first and coordinate with them to safely deploy ERT volunteers.
Currently, the most immediate need at this time is for financial gifts to support the disaster response effort. Direct gifts to the North Alabama Conference Disaster Response can be sent to North Alabama Conference, January Storms Disaster Response, 898 Arkadelphia Road, Birmingham, AL 35204.
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