Daylong disaster training slated for June 7 at Annual Conference

By Jessica Brodie

Thanks to new awareness about disaster response after the October 2015 floods that devastated this state, South Carolina United Methodists will have the chance to get needed disaster training during this year’s Annual Conference.

On Tuesday, June 7, the conference will host a full day of disaster response trainings both for Early Response Teams and for United Methodist Volunteers in Mission. The trainings will help equip volunteers as relief teams and assist local churches in getting the help they need.

“The focus is on helping local congregations—is your disaster response plan effective, and what might be ways you can update plan and resource community in the event of a disaster or crisis?” said Conference Secretary the Rev. Ken Nelson.

The ERT training will be held 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ERTs are trained volunteers who respond in the aftermath of a disaster, such as the 2015 floods, and tarp roofs, clean out damaged homes and cut access paths through storm debris. The cost for the ERT training is $35/person. Training includes how to use a chainsaw cutting prop and also a roof tarp prop. The $35 goes toward a shirt, cap, manual and badge. In addition, each person must complete a successful background check through the South Carolina Conference using Trak-1.

The UMVIM training will help churches create a disaster response plan to help the church and community better prepare for the unexpected. Bring a team from your church. Training will occur in the ballroom of the Florence Civic Center; park in the lower level parking lot. Cost and time will be announced soon.

Registration and other information will be on the Annual Conference 2016 website soon at www.umcsc.org/ac2016.