Disaster Response Team

Purpose: To provide timely disaster relief support in the form of clean up, salvage, repair, or supplies disbursement for disasters that occur within a 420-mile radius of First Church Round Rock.

Qualifications: The term Disaster refers to any naturally occurring disaster that can affect neighborhoods, communities, cities, or multiple cities. Examples of a Disaster are but are not limited to: tornadoes, floods, hurricanes, fire clean up. Disasters are also events or occurrences that are managed and directed by a local, state, government, or religious organization such as: county governments, state governments, the national government, Red Cross, UMCOR, UM Coalition on Flood Relief, Volunteers in Mission, or other organizations.

Team Member Qualifications: Disaster Response Team Members of First Church Round Rock are qualified through a class certification in 4 specific areas: CPR, Basic First Aid, Tool Training, Inter-Personal Communications. These certifications are offered through the Disaster Response Team program. Members must also complete a DRT Membership Medical Information form and utilize e-mail for quick notification and DRT alerts. Age of DRT membership is adult, college-age, and youth grades 7 through 12(with parental permission given). Members are required to have basic gear to include a personal belt first-aid kit, hardhat, leather work gloves, safety goggles, dust masks, and heavy work boots/shoes. Members are also asked to pay for their own official Disaster Response Team t-shirt, which will be supplied by First Church Round Rock.

Participation: To participate as a DRT member, each person must simply meet the requirements of personal gear and certification by their 2nd disaster. Once a disaster response has been identified and the team Director(s) have assessed response requirements to include lodging, transportation, and meals, coordinators will begin the process of contact DRT members via e-mail and phone calls. DRT members are not required to respond to all disasters but to consider their personal availability to the given disaster. Details about each disaster response and what specific needs for that response will be given at that initial contact e-mail or call. DRT members are asked to give a response reply within 1 hour of initial contact. No reply will presume non-participation in that specific disaster response effort.

The Director(s) will have a current list of qualified individuals for the Disaster Response Team. Any qualified individual who does not wish to be considered for further Disaster Response Team efforts must notify the Director(s) for removal from this list. Certifications must be kept current at all times.

Disaster Response Team Committees

These committee descriptions identify general duties, responsibilities, and profiles. They are not definitive task assignments but are guides as to how each committee will operate. The descriptions are subject to change and interpretation by the committee members.

• Youth Support Team acts as a liaison between the Disaster Response Team Administration and youth involved with the Disaster Response Team. They will provide assistance and guidelines for student participation on the Disaster Response Team and will work closely to the Youth Staff of First Church, Round Rock.
• Lodging and Logistics Team will help secure and arrange lodging, transportation and amenities for the Disaster Response Team responding to any disaster.
• Fund Raising Team will focus on creating fund raising opportunities throughout the year for the Disaster Response Team. These funds will help in van rentals, lodging, meals, and expenses incurred in a disaster Response.
• Supply Support Team focuses on the acquisition of client support supplies such as cleaning kits, toys, and clothing as well as supplies utilized by the Disaster Response Team such as latex gloves, nails, screws, paint, and tools used by the team.
• Disaster Assessment Team is made up of the Disaster Response Team Management and works as a liaison between governing bodies that oversee a disaster such as the Red Cross and UMCOR. Their efforts are to determine response feasibility of the DRT of FUMC, Round Rock.
• Communications coordinates and administers all communications among the Disaster Response Team members and the congregation at large.
• Disaster Response Team Management provides administration for the Disaster Response Team and works with the Disaster Assessment Team in determining effort feasibility. This team is the liaison between all committees of the DRT and the congregation, the community, and governing bodies.
• Training Team coordinates and maintains member certification, and plans training sessions for members and potential members.