CSBC Roundtable 2020 Celebrates Volunteers
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Last month the year began with celebrating our team members. Each January CSBC Disaster Relief holds an event to honor our recent volunteers, give recognition for outstanding service, as well as provide some program updates and training refreshers. More than 80 people took advantage of this great networking opportunity and gathered in Fresno.
Charles Woods, Director of Missions from Sierra Butte Association, shared with our group his heart from his experience with CSB Disaster Relief ministry in Butte County. We got some practice in using using the new Rapid Response kitchen, and were introduced to Amelia, our DRone namesake (see article)! The following information was announced:
2019 Year in Review
- From January through June CSBCDR continued responding to the Camp Fire that burned 25 square miles in Butte County and destroyed more than 15,000 homes and an estimated 2,000 businesses in November of 2018. Recovery teams worked through rain and snow assisting 360 home owners with personal property recovery. This was followed by chainsaw teams which cut and removed burned trees on home sites and pushed volunteer cleanup and recovery hours to more than 13,000.
- In the summer, flood recovery teams responded to disasters in Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas to assist other SBCDR teams with mud-out operations. The focus for July was a chaplain response to the 7.1 Ridgecrest Earthquake, then a cleanup response to Camp Lassen where a team dismantled a building destroyed by heavy winter snow.
- CSBCDR partnered with Team Rubicon in August to remove more than 100 tons of debris and silt washed by winter rains into a neighborhood following the Holy Fire near Lake Elsinore.
- A new Rapid Response Kitchen was added in October just in time to respond to the Kincaid Fire in Sonoma County where teams partnered with the Salvation Army in mass feeding at a shelter.
In total 269 volunteers worked more than 18,000 hours. Through 10
training events, 153 new volunteers were added while 175 were recertified.
2020 Focus
- There will be a renewed focus on assisting CSBC churches and associations to be prepared to minister in their communities in times of disaster. More local and regional training events may be added throughout the year as needs are identified. Check eblasts, the CSBCDR website and the DRone newsletter for updates on additional training opportunities.
- Needs are being assessed in response to the earthquake in Puerto Rico. One team is deploying to the Bahamas this month and a possible second team in March. These small recovery teams will focus on structural repair, roofing and drywall installation to restore hurricane related damages. For more information, send an email to deploydr@csbc.com.
The date has been set for the 2021 Roundtable – January 8-9 in Fresno. We will send invitations to all those who have deployed in 2018, 2019 and 2020. We will also add those who attended training during these 3 previous years. We hope to see you there!
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Award recipients:
Hallmark Award – for those who have made a significant contribution to furthering the ministry of CSBC Disaster Relief while exhibiting an attitude of servanthood.
- Richard Dwyer, Bob & Bonnie Lloyd, Marvin Rackley
Golden State Award - for outstanding service and dedication that displays the mission and embodies the spirit of CSBC Disaster Relief.
- Russ Falos, Shirley Moucheron
John Paget Legacy Award – for those who demonstrate a spirit of humble service and dedication to excellence in ministry that inspires others, and maintain a standard for professional leadership for CSBC Disaster Relief ministry.
- Dawn Dwyer, Larry Wiedner
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Naomi's Notes: Chaplain's Corner
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Happy New Year, Chaplains! We have a wonderful new means for communication – DRone will facilitate information sharing and support chaplain ministry in new and better ways.
With the new year we have newly realigned chaplain regions, too. See the new
Region Map/Lead Contacts and meet your Regional Lead Chaplains who will facilitate chaplain development in each region.
When you have questions or concerns, contact your Regional Lead Chaplain who will be happy to assist. They will also coach you through the NAMB DR Chaplain endorsement process.
Naomi Paget
Director/Instructor, CSBCDR Chaplain Program
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The CSBCDR Challenge Coin
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Challenge coins have been around for a long time. They are a symbol and a reminder of a common bond shared with a common purpose among a group of people with a common goal. They are found with military units and first responders.
This coin was developed with a few things in mind. It’s a constant reminder of the part its owner plays in concert with his or her peers to meet the needs of that common goal… to bring relief to stressed and traumatized people. The big question… How do you get one? Everyone who deploys from this point forward will receive one.
So what is a “challenge” coin? It’s about acknowledging your place on the team. If someone shows you their coin, you had better have yours. If you can’t display yours, it’s going to cost you. This coin is about service. If caught without your coin, you are obligated to do something for the challenger… A snack? A cup of cold water? Rotate the tires on their car? You have to do something… UNLESS you can tell the challenger how you helped to “bear the burden” of another that day. Read Galatians 6:2 on the back of the coin.
Lastly, it’s about being an ambassador for CSBCDR. When seen by someone who is not yet involved, it’s your opportunity to share your DR story, to invite them to join us in this ministry. This coin is about being codependent upon the others on your team, on the leadership and upon Jesus. It’s about making the statement that we are His hands and feet. If you don't yet have a challenge coin, we hope you have an opportunity this year to receive one!
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California has experienced rampant wildfires in the last few years that have necessitated immediate mandatory evacuations. And when you see “mandatory” in that sentence, we mean
NOW
. During the Kincaid Fire, at the height of the fire storm, EMS agencies sent buses to outlying neighborhoods and literally pulled people into the bus from the sidewalk in order to move them to safety.
In the event that your family is impacted by an immediate evacuation order, how will you evacuate? How will you reunify? Your out of state contact discussed last newsletter is a way to check in and let other family members know where and how you are. But it is important to discuss and decide on the evacuation plan AND a meeting place before the disaster.
TIP OF THE MONTH:
Agreed upon evacuation plan and meeting place for everyone that lives in your house
Phone communications will be difficult in those first hours and days after the event. It is important to make these decisions well in advance of any catastrophic event. That way, even in a worst-case scenario, you all will be moving towards a common geographic point. Then everyone should be trying to text/call your emergency contact person to let them know you are headed to the meeting place.
Please discuss with everyone that lives in your house how they will evacuate and where you will all meet up to take the next steps towards recovery.
Next month’s tip: The GO Bag
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Look! Up in the sky! It’s a bird! It’s a plane! No… it’s just Amelia… Faster than a speeding bullet… More powerful than a locomotive… able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. This mild-mannered addition to the DR inventory will assist us for Truth, Justice and the American Way!!! Ok, maybe not, but even still… ;-)
Amelia is the first drone to be used by CSBCDR, and made her debut at the Roundtable last month. Initially, she will be taking pictures and videos for this newsletter and other forms of communication for the DR team. However, she could potentially bring a new perspective to assessments, scanning larger areas or spotting Mike Bivins working (it could happen!). After some “field testing” and exploration of other possibilities, who knows where this might lead us?!
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Amelia weighs in at 249 grams. That’s important because drones weighing 250 grams or more must be registered with the FAA and their operators must be licensed. She is a DJI MAVIC MINI. This model is in the inventory of many Police and Fire Departments. She has an average flight time of 25 minutes and has a “ceiling” of 400 feet. At that height you can no longer see or hear her. So Bivins won’t even know we’re watching. She also has a range of 2.5 miles… that is not a typo.
Her most amazing attribute is the “Return Home” button. When it’s pressed, she will automatically return to her launch point. She’s hard to lose. Amelia is anxious to meet you, and maybe take your picture. Smile, you’re on candid camera!!
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Stories from the Field – Planning is Everything
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In the Family Preparedness Tip this month, we stress the importance of discussing an evacuation plan and a meeting place for everyone that lives in your house. This can also extend to your neighbors and your extended family. No one likes to talk about the scary things like earthquakes or fires, but talking about the “what ifs” before they happen can help everyone to feel prepared and confident when the disaster does strike. The writer of this article is a survivor of the 1994 earthquake.
I lived in Granada Hills, CA in 1994. The front yard of my family home was marked by the USGS as a preliminary epicenter location. I grew up in the valley; my dad was stationed at the National Guard Base in Van Nuys, my mom worked in Hollywood and my high school was in Chatsworth. For those of you unfamiliar with those cities, they are
not
close together. I remember as a kid, we talked about our meeting place if a large earthquake ever occurred. As a child in elementary, I would stay at school until my dad could get to me and we would meet mom at the Base. In high school, it changed and we all would make our way to the Base and meet.
Life went on, our discussions about our meeting place became less frequent, and then – at 4:31 AM on Jan., 17, 1994 a 6.7 earthquake struck the San Fernando Valley collapsing buildings, rupturing gas lines that then exploded and destroyed freeway overpasses. People died, it was chaos. I was home, but my mom was visiting friends out of the area and heard about it on the news. Cell service was not what it is today, and the land lines were down for hours.
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My mom and I had no idea how to find each other… except those conversations from years ago suddenly became very important. I will not go into the distress we both experienced not being able to contact the other, but I kept going to the base to see if she would show. And on my fourth visit, losing hope and getting progressively more frightened, I saw her, walking to the street from the runway. You can imagine the tearful reunion, the hugging and more tears and shock that we had actually found each other.
There are more recent examples of the importance of discussing evacuation and reunification plans, stories that came out of the Sonoma fire, the Camp Fire or the Kincaid Fire. Countless stories of people that couldn’t get out, family members that could not get to loved ones to help them evacuate and catastrophic loss of life. We will not capitalize on those to illustrate the point: Please have these talks with those you love.
To be forewarned is to be forearmed
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Lessons Learned: A Compassionate Response
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We were doing Property Recovery, looking for the Challenge Coin he had received from his company while in the Army. He started to tell me about the trauma he was feeling as a result of losing his house. He and his family had literally lost everything. Their house was gone. He described the shop behind the house where he had started his new business, now gone.
And then he paused... and said, “But that’s not the worst of it... as we were escaping the fire, we passed the house of an older woman we take to church. In our panic to get away, we considered stopping and convinced ourselves that someone had stopped and picked her up. She was one of the 82 people that died in the fire.”
How should you respond to that? Telling him, “we know that God causes all things to work together for good...” is not the appropriate verse in this situation. Silence is not an option. What do you say to this man… because you have to say something.
Regardless of the DR task you are performing, you are always going to be dealing with, or will be confronted by, people who are traumatized and under a great deal of stress. Chaplaincy Training is not a requirement to do DR, but if you want to serve others well, then it’s a MUST to appropriately respond to those people who are stressed and traumatized.
“Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks to give a reason for the hope you have within you.”
I Peter 3:15
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The role of Chaplain can take on many forms. Dr. Naomi Paget, during her classes, describes this role as simple as sharing a cup of water with a distressed survivor, or as complex as project manager to help survivors find the resources they need to begin the road to recovery, doing whatever it takes to lovingly assist those impacted by the unexpected. Here is such a story…
California has suffered from horrific wildfires over the last few years. During the Easy Fire in October, 2019, a memory care facility in Thousand Oaks, CA was threatened. The ensuing evacuation of the 148 patients occurred so suddenly, the staff was unable to pack residents’ belongings, and medications were left behind.
Staff and patients boarded a bus and traveled for over 5 hours to a new facility in Aliso Viejo, far from the familiar and from their support system. Unfortunately, this new facility was not prepared for the unscheduled arrival and didn't have beds, linens, towels or toiletries for these tired and frightened people. Saddleback Church provided a pallet of water, several cases of Ensure, and individual toiletry bags for the residents and contacted the California Southern Baptist Convention for Chaplains to assist.
Four SBC trained Chaplains responded with the ministry of presence, helping residents register with the facility, staffing in the kitchen, serving food and performing housekeeping activities. We fed residents who were unable to feed themselves, we helped settle them in their rooms and we passed out quilts from the Saddleback quilting ministry. Our Chaplains did whatever was asked of us... we listened, we cared for and we loved.
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One of our Chaplains, Shirley Moucheron, connected with "Brenda" (patient name changed for privacy). Brenda has advanced Parkinson’s disease with severe tremors. She was very frightened and confused by her new surroundings. CSBC Chaplain Shirley sat with her and kept her calm, physically fed her and helped her drink water. Because of the emergency evacuation, Brenda was unable to take her medication that helped control her tremors and enabled her to care for her own needs. Brenda looked to our Chaplain for encouragement and for help.
By kneeling by her side, listening to her concerns and attending to her most basic needs during those long hours, Shirley was able to calm her and help her transition to this new facility. The quilt that Shirley had for Brenda just happened to be pink, Brenda's favorite color - only God would have known that in advance!
The role of the Chaplain touches all other ministries… mass feeding, debris removal, and yes, even chainsaw. Anywhere that CSBC volunteers meet hurting and grieving people, the skills of the chaplain will be necessary. We encourage all of our volunteers to attend chaplain training whenever possible to develop the tools to minister to those who need it the most.
“I was hungry and you fed me, thirsty and you gave me a drink…”
Matt 25:36 (Message Bible)
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Disaster Relief Chaplaincy (CSBCDRM)
3/13-14 Campbell, CA
This is the last 2-day Chaplain class this year! Don't miss out on this opportunity to hone your skills for spiritual care and emotional support for disaster survivors and team members. This class also provides resources for effective coping, stress management and spiritual wellness. Download
Info flyer
and
register here
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K-LOVE Sponsored, taught by Naomi Paget:
CISM: Stress Management - Trauma Provider
3/17-18 Vacaville, CA
Cultural Diversity in Crisis
3/19-20 Vacaville, CA
CISM: Strategic Response to Crisis
8/13-14 Ontario, CA
CISM: Advanced Group Crisis Intervention
8/11-12 Ontario, CA
9/3-4 Long Beach, CA
CSBC Roundtable by Invitation
1/8-9/2021 Fresno, CA
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Here is your chance to see your name in print! To be a rock star that others refer to in hushed and reverent tones! (Or you can stay anonymous if you'd prefer.) DRone needs your stories, experiences and
photos. This is a newsletter for us all, and benefits from all your perspectives and input.
Please consider sending stories, articles, thoughts, suggestions and LOTS OF PHOTOS to Jayne Bauer at
jbauer@csbc.com
. If Lincoln were reading this newsletter, he would solemnly declare that “this newsletter is of the people, by the people, for the people”… YOU are the people!
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Congratulations...
to the 43 Volunteers who received Chaplain training in West Hills last month!
Welcome aboard!!
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Disaster Relief contributions
are gratefully accepted and help underwrite CSBC's
current or future
response to hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, etc., in California, nearby states or mission partnership countries.
Response services include the preparation of hot meals for disaster victims who are without basic utility services,
recovery assistance to victims without insurance resources,
cleanup of homes, and transportation for volunteers to affected areas.
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Please share this newsletter with your friends and churches - help spread the word about CSBC Disaster Relief work in California!
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DRone
is a monthly publication of California Southern Baptist Convention Disaster Relief to inform and encourage DR team members and friends as we serve together to bring help, hope and healing to a hurting world during a time of crisis. Questions/comments about
DRone should be directed to Jayne McClung Bauer,
jbauer@csbc.com.
Please
sign up here
to receive this newsletter in your inbox.
DR Director:
Mike Bivins, 916-673-7622
Editor:
Jayne McClung Bauer, DR Volunteer Development Coordinator, 707-689-4501
Contributors:
Don Biadog, Michele Haddad Coley, Dawn Fulkerson, Neils Johnson
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