Susquehanna Conference Disaster Response

Commentary: Sitting at the Crossroads of Life By Douglas Hoy, Disaster Response Coordinator Have you ever found yourself sitting at a crossroad in life, wondering what to do? You know you can’t just sit there. You need to make a decision. Does your life’s path require you to continue in the direction you are traveling? Maybe you need a clear change in your circumstances and need to consider turning left or right. Or, are you so far away from your starting point, that returning to the familiar might be the best option. These crossroads in life can take many forms and cause us to struggle. Fear, sadness, anger and grief begin to creep into our lives. And, when these emotions begin to take over, we lose sight of our destination or the path to it. Margaret Benefiel states In her book, Crisis Leadership , that it is at this point we should “sit still long enough and be quiet” and allow God to do amazing things around us. Resist the urge to forge ahead under the assumption that the road we a...

Why do we do disaster response?

https://youtu.be/zGYHJCyNwpA

Douglas Hoy, Conference Disaster Response Coordinator On Palm Sunday, I listened as the pastor shared a message focused on the reality that how you treat others will have an eternal impact, for us and those with whom we interact. During his sermon, he posed a few questions to the congregation. Who is the person you most admire? Who is that person who has left a lasting mark on your life? Is there someone who has invested time in you and made you feel valued? Who was there for you at just the right time to make a difference?  He went on to explain that no matter who each person in the congregation identified, there were similarities in the reasons they were chosen. When someone takes the time to intentionally lift us up, they are humbly showing and sharing compassion while living and loving like Jesus. In addition to taking a personal interest in us, they are allowing Jesus to use them and to be seen in and through them. And, while we benefit from their actions, their re...

Have you heard the bells…and the message? Douglas Hoy, Conference Disaster Response Coordinator Last month, my wife and I took the opportunity to go on a date. We decided to take in a movie entitled “I Heard the Bells.” The storyline chronicled how poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow came to write the poem that eventually turned in to a popular Christmas carol. After seeing the movie, I was intrigued by the portrayal of Longfellow’s life, decided to do a little research, and familiarize myself with his writings. The result of that exploration revealed that, while he was considered the most popular poet of that time, Longfellow also lived a real and relatable life. Without giving away the entire story line, he lived a simple yet very happy life. He experienced family struggles, grief and healing. He was drawn into the conflict created by a charged political and social climate. He grappled with keeping promises and addressing teen rebellion. Longfellow was a widow and single father after tr...

AC 2023 DAY OF SERVING Save the date and be a part of "A Day of Serving" on  Wednesday, May 17, 2023 , the day   before our 2023 Annual Conference   Session begins.  It's going to be different!  Continue to watch QuikLINK for more details.

EARLY RESPONSE TEAM TRAINING (ERT) “In the hours and days after a disaster, those who survive are looking for anything to give them hope. ERT’s can provide the kind of immediate response that restores hope, builds faith, and encourages those who are looking to their neighbor for support.” Charlton UMC  - Harrisburg, Pa. will be hosting an ERT Basic training on  Saturday, January 28 ; and  Lightstreet UMC  - Bloomsburg, Pa. will be hosting an ERT Basic training on  Saturday, February 11 . For more information and to register, go to  Disaster Response Ministry  and click on “TRAINING.”

Douglas Hoy, Conference Disaster Response Coordinator      A few weeks ago, I was struggling. Facing health-related issues and problems at work, I was looking forward to a weekend camping trip. It was going to be a great opportunity to put those troubles and concerns behind me, if only for a few days. I packed the camper Friday morning and started my weekend, intending to meet my wife when she finished working that evening. I was 30 minutes into my trip when I felt the camper bounce and sway. And, before I knew it, I was sitting along the side of the road.       The camper had sustained a flat tire. As I got out of my truck to inspect it, I saw rubber from the tire lying on the road, accompanied by torn air conditioning duct work and plywood. My heart sank. Approaching the back of the camper, I found the tire had shredded and had ripped away portions of the weather barrier and subflooring. The wire that reinforced the duct work was tightly wrapped arou...

Douglas Hoy, Conference Disaster Response Coordinator I am an avid bike rider and enjoy spending time on the roads and trails. I cycle for exercise and the enjoyment of the outdoors. Each year, during the month of July, you can find me glued to the television watching le Tour de France and le Tour de France femmes. Also referred to as “grand tours” in the cycling community, these men’s and women’s races involve up to 200 individual riders representing 24 teams from professional cycling world-wide. Over the course of a few weeks, these riders traverse the French countryside completing daily stages (21 for the men and eight for the women) and riding approximately 3,500 kilometers (2,200 miles) and 1,033.6 km total (642 miles) respectively. For perspective, as a novice rider, the most I have ridden has been 74 miles in one day and 400 miles over the course of a month. The tour is both a team sport and an individual one that relies on strategies and tactics to be successful. Only one rider...

Douglas Hoy, Conference Disaster Response Coordinator At Annual Conference this year, I had the opportunity to speak with attendees about the Disaster Response Ministry. It was a joy to share all the opportunities the ministry has to offer. During one of those conversations, after explaining to connection to UMCOR and how we respond to “headline” disasters, I was asked whether there was more to the ministry. My reply was an emphatic “YES!” The mission of  UMCOR  and the Disaster Response Ministry is to provide assistance to alleviate human suffering as the result of disaster. And, most people associate that with helping people after they have been the victims of a natural disaster, such as hurricanes, tornadoes, and flooding. While this is true in the traditional sense, human suffering can occur on so many levels in so many places. All we need to do is watch the news every evening to know our neighbors are hurting as the economy continues to slow down and inflation continues t...

  Douglas Hoy, Conference Disaster Response Coordinator In emergency management circles, references are often made about an organization’s status in “blue skies” and “gray skies.” The term “blue skies” refers to how that organization conducts its normal, day-to-day operations without the direct threat of an emergency or disaster. Those operations involve building and maintaining capabilities for when disasters, or “gray skies,” strike. In carrying out their responsibilities, emergency managers utilize a four-phase model to prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters. The phases include mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery. Mitigation  involves taking steps to avoid or minimize the cause and consequences of disasters.  Preparedness  involves planning and training for those things that are not able to be mitigated. The response phase takes place immediately after the disaster occurs and focuses on the personal safety and wellbeing of those in the comm...