Guidebook offers all faiths tips on handling disaster

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Guidebook offers all faiths tips on handling disaster

Council of Churches issues disaster guide

By • courier-journal.com • November 30, 2008

A year ago, representatives at the Kentucky Council of Churches'

annual meeting rushed to safety in a basement just minutes before a

tornado sent debris crashing down into the sanctuary where they were

holding their annual meeting.

In light of that experience, the council has produced a brochure to

guide congregations on how to prepare for such events.

" It is a guidebook to help churches think about and be prepared for

emergencies and disasters, " said the Rev. Jo Kemper, executive

director of the council. " Too many churches don't have a fire alarm

(or) smoke detectors, nor have they even thought of doing a fire drill

or a tornado drill. "

Kemper said council members " learned the hard way " about the need for

such preparations during their October 2007 meeting at Third Baptist

Church in Owensboro.

The council -- which represents 11 Catholic and Protestant

denominations -- had just started an evening service when the church's

pastor, who had been monitoring tornado warnings on an office

television, urged members to take shelter.

Within five minutes of their rush to the basement, the church's bell

tower crashed through the roof.

The 20-page brochure is called " Disaster Preparedness and Response: A

Reference Guide for Kentucky Faith Communities. "

It includes a range of recommendations for congregations in the event

that a disaster strikes either the sanctuary itself or the

congregation's community.

Kemper cited the response of chaplains and other faith leaders to the

crash of Comair Flight 5191 in Lexington in 2006 as an example.

The brochure includes recommendations for worship services that can be

of use to Christian, Jewish or Muslim congregations after a disaster.

It includes recommendations for responses to natural disasters,

terrorist attacks, flu pandemics and other such events.

" Whether they are acts of nature that overwhelm our resources,

outbreaks of disease, accidents, or deliberate acts of human evil that

challenge our core beliefs, these events call forth our deepest

spiritual resources, " the brochure states. " The best way to respond to

disasters of whatever sort is to follow the old Boy Scout motto: 'Be

prepared.' "

Kemper said the tornado experience showed the importance of having a

television or weather radio on premises to monitor severe weather.

The council had 3,000 brochures printed and is offering to distribute

one free to each congregation that seeks one. It has distributed about

500 so far.

http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20081130/NEWS01/811300475