Information About Early Response Teams

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Early Response Teams provide a critical role in Disaster Relief and Recovery. Persons, teams, or local churches interested in sending an Early Response Team through United Methodist Volunteers in Mission (UMVIM) must contact Bonnie Howard by e-mail or phone 865-458-4943. Bonnie is the contact for making arrangements, being assigned a work site, and completing necessary forms for each team to go. It is very important that each team work through Bonnie, so we ask that you contact her early in your planning.

What Do Early Response Teams Do?

1. Provide a Christian presence. This does not sound like a task, and it is not; however, it can be the most important thing a team can do.
   
2. Debris removal and temporary repairs.
   
   • Make a dwelling "safe, sanitary, and secure."
     
   • Must be careful not to perform work on a home that might jeopardize the victim's eligibility for assistance from insurance and/or government agencies.
     Debris removal – remove downed trees and drag debris to roadsides or other designated places
     Tarp – put tarps on roofs to prevent water entering the
     home
     Muck-outs – remove wet materials to hasten drying out and prevent molding
3. Observe victim's needs and report these to the Conference and UMCOR disaster relief operations
   
4. Be a part of the Caring Ministry of "listeners" who will help the victims begin to heal.
   

Early Response Team Members can and should be very flexible so that they may be able to respond to any of the many various disasters that may occur in the local setting.

Early Response Team Don'ts

• Do not go to a disaster site without an invitation to be in the area.
• Do not go to a disaster site unless you have made your own preparations for food and housing. The team must be self-contained (camp gear, food, water, fuel, everything!)
• Do not go to a disaster site with any sort of personal agenda.
• Never assume you know more than the local people.
• Do not remove trees from over a house.
• Never repair a home beyond "Safe, Sanitary and Secure."
• Never promise something for someone else.
• Never make promises you cannot keep.
  

Desired Attributes of Persons Serving on Early Response Teams

• Possess spiritual commitment.
• Be a TEAM PLAYER.
• Understand that people are always more important than the task at hand.
• Be trained or willing to be trained prior to assignment.
• Have a positive attitude.
• Be observant...listen.
• Be understanding of cultural differences.
• Be understanding of the psychological stress the victims are suffering.
• Be willing to admit you don't have all the answers.
• Be realistic about issues and problems that are likely to be faced.
• Understand that ownership of disaster must stay with the locals.
• Team members must be 18 years or older for the Early Response Team.
  

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