Response to Disaster Situations -What is the best thing to do?

This year started with bushfires.

Photo courtesy U.C Insight magazine

 During January Julie was responsible for the Disaster Response co-ordination, as the usual incumbent in that job took a well earned rest. She had hoped for a quiet time but it wasn't to be. A good season followed by a hot summer had its consequences. Fires broke out in Coonabarabran and surrounding areas,as well as near Sydney, in Victoria and Tasmania.
Julie's job was to co-ordinate the best response to assist people affected in Western NSW. This meant sending in teams of chaplains,trained for the job and mobilising and supporting the local support agencies, community organisations and churches as they worked to assist people affected by the fires.

Coonabarabran Chaplains -Photo from UC Assembly.

 While the Uniting Church offers a raft of assistance during crisis situations individuals and church congregations are often not quite sure what is the best response they might give to a crisis such as a fire or flood.

Here are a few brief guidelines on what you can do to help.

1) Before a crisis
      -Make sure your presbytery has a Disaster Contact Person who has a list of resources and contacts to be called on if the need arises.

2) During and immediately after a crisis churches can:-
     - Call on a Synod trained Peer Supporter to assist your congregation
     - Provide accommodation and facilities for evacutation centres and be on the Recovery Committee to        keep local churches informed about community needs
     - Let people know of church services available in town           
     - Provide kids activities

3) In the Short term -
     -Apply to Synod for support funds to assist in supporting the congregation in supporting the community and for food and school help funds
     -Organise community recovery education, pastoral visitors practical help and ecumenical services to provide spiritual support to those recovering from loss.
     - Keep an eye on the kids and make sure they have something to do while everyone else is so busy.
     -ALWAYS donate cash only.Goods provide logistical problems for recovery teams.

Goods only create problems-Always donate cash *

 4) In the Longer term -
        Communities often feel abandoned after the initial crisis and assistance period is over and    they can find it of takes a long time to recover. On-going support is required.
      -Organise community events,community projects, plant days to replenish gardens and holidays to give people a break and some enjoyment
      - Again- how can you help the children with the changes which have occurred, which may include loss of friends form the area?
      -Ecumenical services of commemoration can be helpful -focus on looking forward and beware of retraumatising by focusing on the pain of the loss.

Each community is different and what works in one place may not work in another but it is hoped that these ideas will give you some ideas of where to start. (For a more detailed outline, provide your email contact through the blog so we can send one to your congregation.)

* Image courtesy of the Colonnade Paper -Georgia college and State University - Photo by Manoj Kunici This pile clothes and goods was donated after Hurricane Sandy in the USA but Australian agencies report similar problems.