There are many ways in which you and your church can be a part of the disaster response effort and help people in the midst of a disaster to know and experience the love of God through your presence and service.
Many parts of our state have been hit by a devastating ice storm.
Our main connection in helping to organize a response to the victims of this disaster is our partnership with the Oklahoma Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (OKVOAD).
Hundreds of people have been serving those in need from the early hours of the storm during the emergency phase of this disaster. The first priority efforts have involved food, shelter and medical needs.
These OKVOAD partners spend tireless hours of pre-event preparation, training, funding and communicating and that is why they can respond effectively and in a timely manner. Due to the emergency relief efforts that are still in effect at this time the Oklahoma Emergency Management (OEM) has asked that all volunteer groups wait until the emergency phase of the response has been lifted.
They are projecting and hoping that phase will end sometime Monday. (Feb. 1, 2010) If you have trained OKVIM Team Leaders who wish to put together Early Response Teams (ERT's) or Response Teams (R-TEAM's) to help in the clean-up I am sure they will be needed beginning around the first of next week.
Please have those OKVIM Team Leaders email Richard Norman to register their team. On Monday (Feb. 1, 2010) the OKVIM Team Leaders can continue to contact me or the OKVIM office to register in order to follow through with the necessary paperwork and be assigned to an area. This is the way we can responsibly help those in need.
Be assured United Methodists have been helping and will continue to assist the victims needs in this disaster where we have the resources and expertise along with our OKVOAD partners.
Again, contact us as soon as possible if you are a OKVIM Team Leader that would like to lead a team in this disaster relief effort.
I realize many of you in the affected areas may not have access to this message at this time, but I would appreciate your responding as soon as you can with any communication about the needs in your district.
Richard W. Norman
800-231-4166, Ext. 2032, or 405-530-2032; 405-620-3901
RNorman@okumc.org