Methodists, Baptists Work Together to Improve Disaster Response

Methodists, Baptists Work Together to Improve Disaster Response
Missions volunteers from three Huntsville area churches will host a collaborative training May 15-17 for Baptist “Yellow Hats” and Methodist “Early Response Teams.”

The training is designed to help faith-based volunteers assist one another’s official disaster response efforts. Additionally, it will better prepare teams for local service, during and after emergencies.

Training will occur Friday, May 15 at Riverside Baptist Church (2359 FM 980 in Riverside– just north of Huntsville) from 6-9 p.m., for Yellow Hat disaster relief training. Saturday, May 16 at Riverside Baptist Church from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. will be the Yellow Hat “mobile feeding unit” training. Sunday, May 17 at the Senior Center of Walker County (340 Hwy 75N, Huntsville), from approximately 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., will be the Methodist Early Response Team disaster training.

The goal is to create a common pool of volunteers that is larger than any one denomination could muster on its own for when an emergency arises. In order to cover expenses, training will cost $10 per person for both Baptist Yellow Hat trainings and $25 for the Methodist ERT training.

Automatic “pre-approval” and registry of volunteers is not available across denominational structures. Certificates of completion will be provided to all attendees. They will be required to present those credentials to team leaders (of the respective denomination) when a response opportunity arises.

We encourage everyone to join us in these training sessions. Reserve your training spot ASAP.

For more information, contact Rick Carpenter, Wesley Memorial UMC Missions Group chair, at 936-662-7119. Or, contact Claudia Loofs at the Senior Center of Walker County, at 936-295-6151 or 936-662-0435.