HENRICO, Va. — Westhunt Baptist Church in Richmond’s West End recently discovered that disaster relief isn’t limited to natural disasters in other places; it also includes responding to the needs of hurting people less than a mile away.
A multi-unit fire at the Quarter Mill Apartments shortly after 12:15 p.m. on Feb. 13 was the catalyst for immediate action. While the two-alarm blaze was under control in a little under an hour, according to Henrico County Fire Captain Jim Mellon, all units in the building received fire, smoke or water damage and 28 families were displaced.
The Red Cross responded quickly to the blaze at the apartment complex. (Photo courtesy of Red Cross)
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Knowing the number of people impacted, Paul Hundley, manager of disaster services for the American Red Cross’s Virginia Capital Region, began the search for a nearby facility to send those affected that could also be used as a shelter, if needed.
“The reason the Red Cross partners with facility owners is because we do not own facilities that are conveniently located to accommodate the needs of our clientele pre- or post-disaster,” said Hundley. While he explains that the Red Cross partners with many organizations, Hundley admits that “faith-based groups typically own facilities that have the large areas needed to provide a safe place for shelter and one location for those affected to congregate, handle inquiries from concerned family members and have access to Red Cross resources.”
The search for shelter led to Anna Miller, pastor of Westhunt Baptist Church.
“Paul Hundley contacted my husband, Dean [disaster response coordinator for the Virginia Baptist Mission Board], asking: ‘Do you know of a Baptist church in the immediate area that I could contact?’ ” said Miller. Shortly after she received a call from Hundley and after checking with several church leaders, Miller said the decision was made to move forward quickly.
Anna Miller
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Red Cross workers were at the church within hours, walking through the facility and making plans to provide food and shelter, said Miller. The typical questions concerning insurance and liability that arise any time a church allows outside use of its facilities were covered in an agreement the Red Cross provided, she said. “One thing we learned through this process was how easy it is to work with the Red Cross.”
“When the Red Cross borrows a facility we want to return it to the same shape that it was when we occupied it — and even better,” said Hundley.
Fortunately residents impacted by the fire were able to find accommodations with family and friends for the night, said Hundley, but the facility was open until late evening, with Red Cross personnel registering and interviewing residents of the apartment complex and helping them cope in the aftermath of the fire.
“Westhunt Baptist Church is a great example of a congregation without a pre-established relationship with the Red Cross stepping up on short notice to meet a need,” said Hundley. “The more facility owners that we have agreements with, the more likely we will be able identify one available and close to an impacted area. For us to assume that we can make one phone call and a facility can clear everything from its calendar is unrealistic.”
He added, “Churches, especially, are busy places.” If an agreement is in place ahead of time, there is a better likelihood of finding an appropriate facility and there is less to do when that space is needed, he said.
Hundley adds that facility use is not limited to a building. Faith-based organizations may have large parking areas that can sustain tractor trailers for the distribution of supplies, such as ice, bottled water or other items distributed to the community in bulk, or it could serve as a fixed feeding site during a disaster event.
“Knowing how easy the Red Cross was to work with and the interest they had in partnering in such helpful ways will likely result in Westhunt Baptist Church establishing a relationship with the Red Cross,” said Miller. “I would also encourage churches to be open and available to work with them, should they have the opportunity.”
Hundley suggests that a congregation that would consider its facilities to be a good space for the American Red Cross to deliver its services go to www.redcross.org, identify its local chapter and contact the disaster services program there.
Barbara Francis ([email protected]) is on the staff of the Religious Herald.