| NEWS Recovery information For assistance in recovery from Hurricane Isabel call (800) 621-FEMA (3362). (TTY: (800) 462-7585.) To support the conferences relief and recovery efforts through donations and volunteers, contact Sandy Ferguson at (800) 492-2525, Ext. 431, or
Checks should be made payable to the Conference Treasurer and sent to the conference center. For more information about local church, district and conference needs and recovery efforts, visit the conference Web site: www.bwcumc.com. | Isabel recovery will be long term by JOHN W. COLEMAN JR.UMCONNECTION Staff 
For victims of Hurricane Isabel who suffered loss or damage to their homes, possessions and emotional well-being, recovery may take up to two years, maybe longer. United Methodist Committee on Relief staff have offered that prognosis and other insights to help Baltimore-Washington Conference staff and church leaders prepare for a long-term response to the Sept. 17-18 storm. People are still digging out, removing debris and waiting for their homes to dry out before they can repair or rebuild walls and floors, said Tom Hazelwood, manager of UMCORs network of disaster response consultants. He spoke to about 40 participants at a training event for prospective volunteer case workers Oct. 2, at Bethany UMC in Ellicott City. The big need now is to offer people some healing and basic support, and get them to register with FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Administration) for the help they need before its too late. Too late means after Nov. 16, or 60 days after the hurricane struck. After that date FEMA will no longer receive applications for assistance. The conference, UMCOR and church leaders are encouraging residents affected by Isabel to register even if they are uncertain of what help they need or whether or not they qualify. The conference is developing a recovery assistance plan and requesting $500,000 from UMCOR to help it provide case management, counseling, distribution of materials, communications and other needs. Were in this together for the long haul, UMCOR disaster consultant Larry Powell told a gathering at Cedar Grove UMC in Deale, Sept. 27. Powell toured damaged sites with pastors and conference staff and met with clergy and laity in and around Lusby, Edgemere, Deale and Dundalk. Powell said long-term recovery follows the rescue and relief stages of a disaster, but support from those not directly affected can fade quickly as new disasters vie for their attention. We have to organize and move quickly to garner resources for this recovery now, he urged. While most area churches reported only power outages, slight damage and some flooding and sewage back-up in parsonage basements, congregations are taking responsibility for more extensive destruction and distress in their communities. Although flood waters have receded and fallen trees and power lines have been removed, residents living near rivers and the Chesapeake Bay, from Southern Maryland up through Harford County, are still contending with damaged walls and roofs, buckled floors, sewage backup, spilled fuel oil, and dangerous mold infestation. Some homes were washed away and many still standing have been condemned as uninhabitable. This is the worst catastrophe many longtime residents here have ever seen and the most chaos Ive ever experienced in my ministry, said the Rev. Kevin Baker, pastor of Cedar Grove UMC. Ive never talked to FEMA in my life, but Ive talked to them 10 times today. His church served daily meals to survivors, housed four homeless families temporarily at West River United Methodist Center, recruited volunteers and sent out work teams to remove debris and repair homes. Meanwhile, people are responding to a conferencewide appeal for donations of funds and flood buckets, and for volunteers to do cleaning and repairs, assist victims with legal and insurance problems, and provide counseling and case management services. Were getting some calls from churches and individuals, including some from outside our conference, but we need more, said Sandy Ferguson, the associate council director who is managing the conferences initial response to the crisis. This will be a long-term effort because its going to take some time for people to put their lives back together.  Many people feel relieved now because they survived the storm and they see relief agencies in their communities helping them, said UMCORs Nina Martin, who led the Oct. 2 training. But the emotional slide will begin to happen in another month when they see those agencies leaving and they havent been helped yet. Then anger and resentment will set in.
Many of them wont ask for help now because theyre too proud or in denial or unaware of how serious their situations are, she explained. They will slip through the cracks if we dont help them carefully assess their needs and connect them with the resources available. Thats why case management is so important. Another case management training is being considered as more volunteers sign up to help. |
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