Is your church prepared to withstand a natural disaster and to help your congregation and community in the aftermath? Do you want to be prepared but don’t know where to start? See below a variety of resources to help your church and families to be prepared for natural disasters and to better react when they do happen.
· UCC Disaster Ministries and Insurance Board Disaster “Preparedness Manual for Churches”
Tailored for use by houses of worship of any denomination or faith, the concise, easy-to-use 24-page manual is a step-by-step guide on how to prepare your building and congregation for a disaster and to serve your wider community when one occurs. The manual assembles exactly what congregations need to know, and do, in one PDF document.
· Disaster Preparedness Resources for Families
Just as congregations need to be prepared in case of disaster, so do households. Use all or some of the following resources as best meet your needs. Files may be printed in house or at an office supply store, punched and placed in a 3-ring binder. Click on the topics below.
Doc. 1: Preparing for a Disaster: A Guide for UCC Families and Friends
Doc. 2: An Introduction to Disaster Preparedness
Doc. 3: American Red Cross Family Disaster Plan
Doc. 4: Disaster Preparation Shopping List
Doc. 5: Disaster Supplies Checklist
Doc. 6: Best Foods to Stockpile for an Emergency
Doc. 7: Church as Shelter Guide
· FEMA 2019 National Preparedness Month Toolkit
· Ready.gov Disaster Preparedness information and resources
National Preparedness Month is recognized each September to promote family and community disaster and emergency planning now and throughout the year. The 2019 theme is "Prepared, Not Scared." Visit the page.
· FEMA Individual Assistance Toolkit
The Individual Assistance mission ensures disaster survivors have timely access to a full range of authorized programs and services to maximize recovery, through partnered coordination of local, state, territorial, and Indian Tribal governments, as well as other Federal Agencies, nongovernmental organizations and the private sector.
As a Disaster Recovery Reservist with the Arizona Department of Emergency and Military Affairs, Phil Shea is trained and deployed, as needed, by the state to help coordinate Individual Assistance to disaster sites in Arizona. The document below outlines this assistance and how it can help your church and community in the event of a declared disaster that is eligible for FEMA assistance.