Hurricanes 2005
Hurricane RitaHurricane Dennis
About UMCOR's Hurricane Response
UMCOR, by direction of the Discipline, partners with the Annual Conference in their disaster response.
UMCOR trains conference disaster coordinators and conference leadership before disasters occur, and works very closely with them after a disaster. When a conference has been struck as severely as Mississippi, Alabama-West Florida, Louisiana and Texas conferences have been UMCOR is present and on the ground with the conference designated staff for months.
UMCOR assists with the Bishop's initial damage assessment, the planning of immediate assistance in terms of basic needs, advice on handling volunteers and material resources, development of communications, and planning for the long-term recovery.
UMCOR always works through the Annual Conference network. UMCOR manages the flow of funds from throughout the denomination to the most vulnerable survivors through the affected annual conferences.
UMCOR's Specialty: Long-Term Recovery
Each organization involved in effective recovery work has a specialty and works within one of the three phases of disaster recovery. For example, the American Red Cross specializes in the emergency phase.
UMCOR's niche is long-term recovery, the long slow work that takes place long after news cameras and reporters leave a site. This also means that, while UMCOR does participate in emergency and relief, the bulk of UMCOR's work and spending does not begin until some months after the disaster has occurred.
Hurricane Wilma roared across South Florida October 24, leaving a swath of destruction in its wake. The storm also tore through the Caribbean and Central America. Mudslides triggered by Wilma's rains killed 10 people in Haiti.
Homes, businesses, and churches were damaged by this fast moving hurricane. UMCOR has been actively working in long term recovery in the affected areas since the 2004 hurricane season which pummeled Florida with repeated storms. Repair and recovery from the additional damage caused by Hurricane Wilma will be part of the continuing work of the Florida Annual Conference's Storm Center.
Read More:
- UMCOR Disaster Response Network Assists the Most Vulnerable Wilma Survivors. Oct. 28, 2005
- UMCOR Prepares Wilma Response. October 21, 2005
Hurricane Katrina forever changed life along the Gulf Coast on August 29, 2005 when it made landfall in Louisiana. The storm had already caused extensive damage across Florida a few days before. This single hurricane devastated cities and wiped some towns off the map from Alabama to Louisiana.
UMCOR was at work prior to the storm, pre-positioning relief supplies and readying annual conference disaster response coordinators. UMCOR will be at work in the affected annual conferences for many years to come, supplying direct assistance, coordinating volunteers, connecting people to the support they need, and helping survivors go about the work of recovery.
Visit UMCOR's Hurricane Katrina Response Page
