Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg will host a disaster early response team, ERT, training Saturday, September 23, beginning at 9:00 a.m. There is a $40 registration fee that covers manual lunch, background check and leader expenses. Clergy who attend will receive 0.7 CEUs. 

For ERT certification, participants will need to attend the entire course. This training will have hands-on activities, it is recommended that you dress comfortably in layers.

The Mission of an Early Response Team is to provide a caring Christian presence in the aftermath of a disaster.

This team is neither a first response group of emergency workers nor a recovery rebuild or repair team; rather it fills a specific need in the early days after a disaster to establish the presence of the church.

What do Early Response Teams do?
1. Provide a Christian presence. This does not sound like a task and is NOT, however it can be the MOST important thing a team can do.
2. Take steps to prevent further damage to a family’s personal property:

• Tarping
• Debris removal, chainsaw work
• Cleaning out of flooded homes

3. Teams may be asked to manage donated materials, gather information, or other things as deemed necessary by the community.
4. Observe survivor’s needs and report these to the local operations.
5. Be a part of the caring ministry of “listeners” who will help the survivors begin to heal.