Oct. 26, 2007, Grand Rapids, Mich. - While exhausted firefighters continue to fight deadly wildfires that burned in California this week, the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee's Disaster Response Services (CRWRC-DRS) is assessing ways to help.
As evacuation shelters close, many of the 300,000 displaced residents are returning home to check the state of their property and collect what they can. To assist them, CRWRC-DRS Rapid Response and Needs Assessment teams are readying workers to engage in house-to-house needs assessment and reconstruction.
CRWRC-DRS Director Bill Adams, with Don and Gert Vos, volunteer managers who reside in the area, are in contact with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the American Red Cross and other agencies to plan assistance to homeowners.
"With church groups from other parts of the country ready to assist, we are coordinating possible follow-up work with evacuees to help assess their losses, their eligibility for aid, and their available resources," Adams said.
He said that CRWRC-DRS rebuilt homes in low-income neighborhoods in the East hills near San Diego after wildfires in 2003.
With most media attention focused on the Malibu area, DRS would concentrate a response on fire survivors who are least notable - those without insurance, the elderly, handicapped, and already surviving below the poverty line, Adams said.
CRWRC maintains a network of several thousand trained and experienced volunteers from the U.S. and Canada to respond to disasters across North America. Its expertise is long-term recovery, doing needs assessments, assisting local disaster response organizations and rebuilding damaged or destroyed homes and businesses.
"Once firefighters get things under control and first responders finish their work, CRWRC will identify our opportunities for teams helping with clean-up and reconstruction," Adams said.
"When we make a commitment to a recovery organization, we send in teams of about 20 people every three weeks over an extended period to complete reconstruction. Our teams are self-contained - with tools, equipment, management, cooks, and enough skilled workers to get the job done."
Christian Reformed and Reformed churches in the fire area report that dozens of church members from Escondido and Rancho Bernardo and Korean Christian Reformed churches were evacuated.
Volunteers wishing to assist with this response can go to www.crwrc.org <http://www.crwrc.org/> and click on "Get Involved."
CRWRC is accepting financial donations, designated "California Wildfires 2007" at www.crwrc.org <http://www.crwrc.org/> by clicking on the Donate button. Or mail your check made out to "CRWRC California Wildfires 2007" to CRWRC, 2850 Kalamazoo Avenue, SE, Grand Rapids MI 4950-0600. To donate by telephone, call 1-800-55-CRWRC.
CRWRC is a non-profit organization of the Christian Reformed Church in North America, providing a ministry of development, relief, and justice education to people in need around the world. For more information about CRWRC, Disaster Response Services, or International Relief, visit www.crwrc.org <http://www.crwrc.org/> or call 1-800-55-CRWRC.
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Henry Hess
Director of Communication
Christian Reformed Church
To learn more about the Christian Reformed Church visit us at www.crcna.org <http://www.crcna.org
"It is a serious waste to let a day go by without allowing God to change us."-Richard Rolle, The Fire of Love