S.C. UMC Early Response Team leader Billy Robinson works to remove a large pine tree that fell onto an Orangeburg home in the wake of Hurricane Matthew.
Dozens of Early Response Teams from the South Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church have deployed to help those most affected by Hurricane Matthew and the flooding that followed.
But more volunteers are desperately needed, and church officials have scheduled several opportunities in the coming weeks for those who want to train to become certified ERT members and leaders, as well as certified damage assessment volunteers.
“All up and down the seaboard, we’re seeing such devastation,” said Billy Robinson, a veteran ERT leader from North in the Orangeburg District. “We normally get help from neighboring states, but those states are dealing with their own disasters.
“We have 230 people to start with, and they’ve all worked several days already and they’re exhausted. This is going to be a long haul, and a lot of people are not getting help, so we need more hands.”
Need help? Call the disaster response hotline of the S.C. Conference of the United Methodist Church at 800-390-4911 or email screcovery@umcsc.org. Spanish-language hotline: 844-344-2270.
The first ERT training opportunity comes Saturday, Oct. 22, in Columbia. Veteran ERT leaders will teach a combination ERT and damage assessment class from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Virginia Wingard United Methodist Church, 1500 Broad River Road.
ERT training will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., while a damage assessment class will be from 3 to 5 p.m. Volunteers must be 18 or older to participate.
New volunteers are encouraged to attend both sessions, while those already certified as ERT members can take the ERT section as a refresher, or just attend the assessment class.
The cost for the ERT class is $35, which covers the cost of a shirt, cap, badge and manual. ERT members taking the class as a refresher are asked to pay $10 to cover the cost of an updated manual. There is no cost to attend only the assessment class.
To enroll in either class or both, or for more information, please contact Gail Corn at gcorn@umcsc.org or 803-735-8773, extension 318.
Future ERT training sessions will be held Oct. 29 in Pickens and Nov. 5 in Boiling Springs.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Before volunteers can attend ERT training, they are required to go through a background check, and previously trained ERT members must make sure their background checks are up-to-date. To do that, go to smart-trak.com/umcsc.
Other than the ERT training, volunteers don’t need special skills to be able to help.
“Early Response Teams go into the aftermath of disaster, looking to make areas safe, sanitary and secure,” Robinson said. “They cut egress routes with chainsaws, tarp damaged roofs on homes, muck out homes. The most important thing we do is help give people their homes back and comfort them.
“The main thing we’re doing at this stage is making things safe and moving on, making people stable so they can deal with what they’ve got.”
There’s a role for everyone, regardless of age, skill level or work schedule.
“A lot of our team members can only help out on weekends, while some take vacation time,” Robinson said. “If you think you’re too old to get up on a roof, you can do assessments or help hand tools up or work clearing brush from yards. Age is not a significant barrier.
“We do need a lot of youth and muscle power, but anyone can contribute.”
How else can you help?
- The United Methodist Committee on Relief provides easy, step-by-step instructions for how to assemble health kits, cleaning (flood) bucket kits and other needed items at its website,umcor.org. The kits can be delivered to the S.C. Conference Center at 4908 Colonial Drive in Columbia. Please do not bring unsolicited items to the Conference Center.
- Donate financially to the S.C. Conference’s disaster relief efforts at umcsc.org/data/disasterresponsedonation.php, and to UMCOR’s Advance U.S. Disaster Response, which allows UMCOR to respond quickly and appropriately to emergencies in the United States.
- The S.C. Conference is soliciting donations (or loans) of GPS devices that ERT teams can use to help get to their destinations safely. Please call or email disaster response coordinator Matt Brodie at 803-786-9486 or mbrodie@umcsc.org if you can help.
- Pray for the safety of those affected by the storm, emergency responders and Early Response Teams providing relief efforts.
