From Chainsaws to Chaplaincy: Disaster Relief New England Offers Training at a Regional Conference
A small and dedicated Disaster Relief New England (DR) team stands ready to “equip individuals and churches to make a difference in the wake of tragedies by meeting needs and sharing the love of Christ,” according to the Baptist Churches of New England online statement.
To be effective and efficient, interested volunteers need basic and specialized training to serve their neighbors and those in other regions during times of disaster. All disasters—whether encompassing an entire county or confined to a single home—are, in actuality, local and heart-breaking.
Anyone can become a DR responder and any church can become what is being called “a ready church,” but detailed orientation is required. An array of such training—everything from chainsaw management and mold remediation to disaster chaplaincy and crisis communications—is being offered May 8-10 in Rumney, New Hampshire.
The DR New England team mobilizes volunteers to respond to disasters around the six-state region and across the United States. Volunteers do not go it alone. They have a reciprocal partnership with the Southern Baptist Disaster Relief network.
DR New England also partners with FEMA, the Department of Homeland Security, the American Red Cross, The Salvation Army, other national volunteer organizations, and local churches to bring physical and spiritual relief in a variety of practical ways.
BCNE Team Responds to West Virginia Flooding
Ed Lucas, the facilities manager at Northeastern Baptist College, who leads the Disaster Relief New England team, reported that a twelve-member BCNE team recently helped flood victims in Welch, McDowell County, West Virginia, and another four people served food to first responders and the flood victims.
At least two adults and a two-year-old child died, homes were destroyed, and cars were washed away in mid-February in McDowell County, a tragedy reminiscent of flooding in Vermont.
“Well, for disaster relief, you know, when we have issues in New England, West Virginia comes up, so we always try to go back and help those states that come up and help us. . . . They’ve been to Barre [Vermont] two years in a row, so it was our turn to come down and help in West Virginia,” Lucas told a reporter for WVVA Television, Bluefield, WV.
“Six to seven states have come in to help, including members that traveled all the way from New England,” said Andrew Lynch, spokesman for the West Virginia Chapter of Southern Baptist Disaster Relief. The New England team serving in West Virginia included volunteers from Christ the Redeemer Church, Southbury, CT; Enough Ministries, Barre, VT; and several other churches.
Training Options Offered at Regional DR Event
New Englanders and others are being invited to participate in one or all sessions of the Disaster Relief New England Spring Training, May 8-10, at White Mountain Camps, a ministry of the New England Fellowship of Evangelicals, Rumney New Hampshire.
Training courses being offered will be:
Basic Chaplaincy & OFHSA: Thursday & Friday from 8:30 am-5:30 pm. The trainer will be Bill Hoops from PA/NJ. Online registration is required by April 10.
Feeding training: May 8 & 9, from 6:00 am-8:00 pm. and Serv Safe May 8, 1:00 pm-5:30 pm, with Serv Safe testing on Friday 8:30 am-12:00 pm. Early registration is required by April 1.
Shower/Laundry: We will be using our new Vermont unit. Saturday, May 10.
Communications: We will be looking at the 4 types of communication setups used on DR deployments: Starlink, mobile hot spots, two-way repeaters, and ham radio. Friday 1:00 pm-4:00 pm, Saturday 8:30 am-11:30 am.
Administration: We will be learning the intricacies of administration for training events and for deployments. Thursday 1:00pm-4:30 pm, Friday 8:30 am-5:30 pm.
Assessment: We will be teaching 2 sessions Friday & Saturday 8:30 am-5:00 pm.
Chainsaw Training: will be offered Friday 1:00 pm-5:30 pm for an advanced Chainsaw 2 course. Chainsaw 1 will be offered Saturday 8:30 am-11:30 am.
Flood Recovery: will be offered Saturday 8:30 am-11:30 am.
Mold Remediation: will be offered Saturday 1:30 pm-4:30 pm.
Basics and Sharing Your Faith: Basic Training will be presented Friday 7:00 pm-8:30 pm. Sharing Your Faith will take place Saturday 1:00 pm-1:30 pm.
Ready Church: Learn about Ready Church and how you can serve in blue sky times on Saturday at 11:30 am-12:00pm.
First Aid Training: will be offered on Friday and Saturday, 8:30 am-9:45 am.
Site Management Training: will be offered Friday and Saturday 9:45 am-12:00 am.
Small Engine Repair Training: will be Friday 1:00 pm-3:15 pm.
Hauling Equipment/DOT Regulations Training: will be Friday 3:15 pm-5:30 pm.
Multiplying Christ Followers in the Midst of Adversity
Consider giving generously to the BCNE’s
Disaster Relief Fund
Responding to disasters is expensive. In order to respond as rapidly as possible, we need to have cash on hand in an emergency fund to assist in the initial response. We also need ongoing financial support for the long-term costs. Thank you.