Early Response Team Training

Would you like to work with your hands?

Can you work independently with little outside support?

Would you like to be Christ’s presence to people following a disaster?

If this describes your passion then you need to consider becoming a Early Response Team Volunteer from the Baltimore-Washington Conference (BWC).

An Early Response Team (ERT) is a small self-sufficient group of volunteers who go into a disaster area after the First Responders have secured the area and help begin the process of helping survivors put their lives back together. ERTs typically travel on short notice to disaster area either in the BWC or in nearby Methodist Conferences at their invitation. All ERTs are trained through the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) and are ready to stabilize an area in preparation for Volunteer In Missions (VIM) teams. ERTs work hard removing debris and cleaning houses, but most importantly we represent Christ’s presence to those who have survived a disaster.

The BWC is in the process of recruiting and training ERT volunteers so we are ready to respond when a disaster strikes. An information session will be held on Saturday, September 11, 2010 at 9:00 a.m. at Providence-Fort Washington United Methodist Church, 10610 Old Fort Road, Fort Washington, Maryland.

At the information session you can learn more about ERTs, ask questions, and sign up for training so you can participate in this very important ministry of The United Methodist Church.

For more information, contact: Rev. Stephen Ricketts - Southern Region Disaster Coordinator, 301-292-2323.