NORTHEAST FLOODING

Note: Disaster Response Information will move to "Pages" in left column of blog 1 week after posting

From Greg Forrester-Director of UMVIM for the Northeastern Jurisdiction: “As you are all aware, disastrous flooding struck the Northeast in the form of Hurricane Irene. I joined one of our ERT teams assisting in mudding out homes in the Schoharie and Middleburgh areas of New York. On Wednesday - we were asked to evacuate due to the rains brought by the remnants of Tropical Storm Lee. The resulting floods have spread water into cities across New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Connecticut and New Jersey. Our neighbors are in dire need of your help. As the flood waters recede, we will need you to help neighbors and friends recover. Please prepare yourselves by getting informed as to the proper means of cleaning and sanitizing homes damaged by flood waters. I worked with UMCOM to put together a website to access the information for Cleanup kits and also videos explaining the mudding out process. You can find them by going to this link:

http://www.rethinkchurch.org/article/weekend-help-flood-recovery?fbu=1184247293

The current flooding disasters in the Northeast

will have that same effect on so many families for the coming years. It is our obligation to be a Christian witness to them—reaching out and offering support where we can.” If you would like to make a donation to UMCOR please use Advance #901670 and designate your giving as “Hurricanes 2011”. See: http://www.rethinkchurch.org/article/weekend-help-flood-recovery?fbu=1184247293

CENTRAL TEXAS WILDFIRES

NOTE: Disaster Relief Information will move to the "Pages" section in left column after 1 week

A note from Bishop Jim Dorff of the Southwest Texas Conference: "The central Texas fires have been devastating to several of our communities and church families. The communities of Bastrop, Cedar Creek, and the Steiner housing development in Austin have been particularly devastated. We are deeply grateful for the prayers and other expressions of support. Our churches and pastors are hard at work providing shelter and support for those left homeless. Our God is present in these communities and renewal will occur." If you would like to make a donation to UMCOR please use Advance

#901670 and designate your giving as “Texas Wildfires”.

UMCOR has issued a press release on the major wildfire in Bastrop County, Texas. It may be found at http://new.gbgm-umc.org/umcor/newsroom/releases/archives2011/fightingfires/ . Southwest Texas Disaster Response Coordinator Gene Hileman has issued a call for ERTs to help in response to the Bastrop complex wildfire, in Bastrop County, TX just east of Austin. See this link to register as an ERT or ERT Team http://www.umcswtx.org/wildfire-response-registration.You will be contacted with further information and protocols. For updates from the Southwest Texas Conference on the wildfires, see the following link:

http://www.umcswtx.org/umc-disaster-response.html

Aid for East Africa Drought Crisis

UMCOR is advising against UMVIM teams entering the drought area in East Africa (Kenya/Somalia) at this time.  Melissa Crutchfield, Assistant General Secretary, International Disaster Response offers the following comment regarding the United Methodist response at the time.

"UMCOR is working through partners in Somalia to address the drought crisis. We have worked with/through the Methodist Church in Kenya (MCK) and the East Africa Annual Conference of UMC in Kenya in the past for numerous relief efforts.  I would strongly advise against any UMVIM teams going to this particular area right now in response to the refugee crisis. I do not think it is appropriate in this circumstance to facilitate UMVIM teams going over at this time. We will continue to work with local partners.

Thanks,
Melissa Crutchfield

Assistant General Secretary, International Disaster Response

United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR)


Note-July 22nd: the United Methodist News Service (UMNS) reported that "....UMCOR is planning with partner organizations a regional response to the growing famine provoked by the severe drought in the Horn of AfrIca.  The affected Countries incLude Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya and Djibouti".

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: How to Help Alabama and Storm Victims



Alabama Tornado Victims. Photo- http://www.m.ibtimes.com/

Here is a listing of contacts for those annual conference that have suffered lots of damage as result of the Spring storms, flooding, and tornadoes.

Holston:

Call center: 865-309-9530 and 865-309-9563,
Monday through Friday, 8:30 am - 5 pm

Click here for more information: http://www.holston.org/about/communications/the-call/volEEE/num16/conference-response/
North Alabama:
Call center: 855-862-8657

Monday through Friday, 7am-9pm
Saturday, 10am-4pm
Sunday, 1pm-5pm
Click here for more information: http://www.northalabamaumc.org/pages/detail/1608

North Georgia:

Call center: 678-533-1443
Monday through Friday, 9am-5pm
Click here for more information: http://www.ngumc.org/

You can donate to the Spring Storms Relief by clicking here: http://new.gbgm-umc.org/umcor/ and clicking on US Spring Storms.

EMERGENCY RESPONSE TRAINING IN WASHINGTON
If you are interested in becoming part of an emergency response team, you are welcome to a training June 22, 2011 at Kennewick First United Methodist Church. The event will be held from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. For more information please contact Jim Truitt at jftruitt@comcast.net.

Posted by Heather Wilson - UMVIM WJ Coordinator (taken from the Western Jurisdiction Blog site)

Request for Trained Early Responders from Rev. Matt Lacey

North Alabama Conference: North Alabama invites UMCOR Emergency Response Trained [ERT}. If you have been ERT trained, here are the criteria which we are asking you to follow: Team leaders MUST have a valid UMCOR ERT badge in the last 3 years. Team members must have a valid conference or UMCOR ERT badge in the last 5 years. To volunteer, please visit this site to register. We are taking these criteria very seriously due to the nature of the damage of these storms. Please remember that we are a connectional system, and are going through the proper channels to insure everyone's safety and well-being If your church wants to give an offering, please give through UMCOR's website or making a check out to the North Alabama Conference labeled with the Advance number 3021326. I encourage you to follow the conference website, or find North Alabama missions on Facebook.    This is a trying time for many, and we are called to, with God at our side, help  to heal a hurting world. We will release any further information as we receive it. God Bless. Rev. Matt Lacey, Director of Mission and Advocacy, North Alabama Conference