ERT Basic Training - North Shore UMC
Early Response Teams (ERT) are specially trained teams that offer assistance soon after the disaster strikes. They generally do clean up work and tasks required to stop further damage from being done, e.g. putting tarps on damaged roofs. They might do minor repairs that help make homes habitable, but they do not do extensive repairs or reconstruction (that is the job for Long Term Recovery).
All members of an Early Response Team are required to complete the eight hour training course. The ERT training is done according to UMCOR guidelines and policies. An UMCOR background check will completed during the training. Additionally, ERTs are required to be checked and certified in accordance with the Rio Texas Conference Safe Gatherings/Trusted con Confianza training and certification process prior to deploying as an ERT. If you haven’t completed the Safe Gatherings training and certification yet, you are encouraged to begin that process ahead of time. Persons completing the training and passing the background check are issued a badge indicating they are approved by the Rio Texas Conference and credentialed by UMCOR for three years.
An Early Response Team is a special type of VIM Team
An Early Response Team has a very narrow function and has no management or administrative responsibility for the overall disaster response. An “Early Response Team” should not be confused with a Disaster Recovery Team. An Early Response Team is a specially trained and certified team called to do early response. A Disaster Recovery Team is a type of UMVIM Team that comes to assist in the long term recovery, AFTER early response is completed. Each Early Response Team member must be trained and carry an identification badge reissued by UMCOR following successful completion of Early Response Team Training.
ABOUT THE ERT TRAINING
Registration - 8:00 a.m.
Training - 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The class will cover the purpose of an Early Response Team:
• To show that the church cares about what has happened to the people,
• To assist the most vulnerable populations with their immediate needs, and
• To provide assistance that will help to prevent further damage to homes and property.
The class will also cover team member responsibilities, how to equip a team, how to prevent further damage (the four basic jobs), and more.
Training will be included for:
• Tarping, mucking/gutting, salvaging
• Tools/Equipment Set-up
• Team member safety
Cost: $30.00
This includes:
• Training Resources Manual
• Identification Badge
• Rio Texas Conference Early Response Team (ERT) T-shirt
• Lunch
