I.    PURPOSE - This Church Disaster Readiness and Response Plan is  designed to prepare the church, its congregants, and its surrounding community for any of the many possible natural or manmade disasters.  It also addresses how the church can provide a multifaceted response to the community following a disaster through collaborative work within the larger faith community organized by Network of Hope and in cooperation with the local county disaster office.

II.   PHASES OF DISASTER PREPAREDNESS – There are five phases of most disasters:

A.  PHASE 1 – PREPARATION:  This phase covers the period from when a disaster is first anticipated until either the danger has passed or the disaster has in fact occurred.  During this phase, the church will accomplish advanced planning and will take preparedness steps to be ready for the next phase.

B.  PHASE 2 – IMPACT:  This phase begins when the disaster actually strikes.  During this phase, the church’s priority is safely surviving the disaster and performing rescue/first aid, if necessary.

C.  PHASE 3 – IMMEDIATE RESPONSE:  This phase begins as soon as the actual disaster has ended.  During this phase, the church will conduct disaster assessment and take any necessary emergency actions to prevent any further life-threatening harm due to dangerous conditions.

D.  PHASE 4 – RELIEF:  This phase begins after a damage assessment has been conducted.  During this phase, the church will begin taking action to bring relief to its members and the community.

E.  PHASE 5 – RECOVERY:  This is the long-term rebuilding phase when the church response teams will be following up on the relief actions begun in the  previous phase  and, depending upon the scope of the disaster, can last from several months to several years.

III.   ACTION CHECKLIST FOR ALL DISASTERS

A.  Assumption – There are certain actions that need to be accomplished in preparation for any disaster, regardless of its specific nature.  The following checklist outlines the action items that should be completed to prepare both church property and people.

B.  All Hazards Checklist – see Appendix 1

1.   Attachment 1: Voluntary Disaster Registration

2.   Attachment 2:  Church Communication Planning

3.   Attachment 3: Church Shelter Transportation Plan

4.   Attachment 4: Disaster Preparedness Training Materials

- “Educate the Congregation” Briefing

- Hurricane Evacuation Checklist

- Disaster Supply Kit Checklist

- Disaster Planning for Companion Animals

- Family Disaster Plan Template

5.   Attachment 5: Church Disaster Response Coordinator Responsibilities

6.   Attachment 6: Church Disaster Response Ministry Team Leader Responsibilities

7.   Attachment 7: Guidelines for Starting Network of Hope Ministry Teams

8.   Attachment 8: Network of Hope Ministry Teams

9.   Attachment 9: Disaster Relief Activation Checklists

10. Attachment 10: Developing a Building Evacuation Plan

11. Attachment 11: Emergency Phone Numbers and Websites

12. Attachment 12: Collections for Post-Hurricane Relief and HideAway Storage Information Sheet

13. Attachment 13: Planning for Alternate Facilities

14.  Attachment 14: Recommendations for Facemask and Respirator Use During an Influenza Pandemic

15.  Attachment 15: Decontamination Procedures

16.  Attachment 16: Volunteer Procedures

17.  Attachment 17: Volunteer Log in & Log out Form

18.  Attachment 18: Weekly Volunteer Report

IV.   ADDITIONAL CHECKLISTS FOR SPECIFIC DISASTERS

A.  Assumptions

1.  Each disaster the church faces may require certain actions that are only specific to the nature of that particular disaster, therefore, the following checklists outline the action items that should be completed in addition to the all hazards checklist above.

2.  Of the many natural and manmade disasters, only certain ones are a real threat to our local church and community so this plan will address only those specific disasters.  If you would like information on additional disasters, please refer to www.disastercenter.com where planning checklists for any imaginable disaster are posted.

B.   Natural Disaster Action Checklists

1.   Hurricane Action Checklist – see Appendix 2

2.   Flooding Action Checklist – see Appendix 3

3.   Thunderstorm Action Checklist – see Appendix 4

4.   Tornado Action Checklist – see Appendix 5

5.   Extreme Heat Action Checklist – see Appendix 6

6.   Earthquake Action Checklist – see Appendix 7

7.   Fire Action Checklist – see Appendix 8

8.   Pandemic Flu Action Checklist – see Appendix 9

B.   Manmade Disasters

1.   Terrorism Action Checklist – see Appendix 10

2.   Nuclear and Radiological Attack Action Checklist – see Appendix 11