In its simplest terms Disaster Relief can be summed up in one phrase: "A cup of cold water in Jesus'name." The ministry is a group of volunteers who have received specific training to assist in the aftermath of a disaster. We meet the urgent needs of a hurting humanity by being trained in one or more of the following ministries: child care, feeding unit, communications, spiritual care, clean up and recovery, or water purification. We serve shoulder to shoulder providing support to disaster victims while spreading the message about our love for Jesus Christ.
Idlewild Baptist Church is in Region IV of the Florida Baptist Convention (FBC) and is partnered with First Baptist Church of Lutz in a unique "Strike Force" which is the only one of its kind! This is the only two-church Disaster Relief partnership in the country. As a team we are working under the authority of Florida Baptist Disaster Relief and together we are pioneering the way Florida Disaster Relief volunteers will respond both now and in the future!!
Purpose Statement:
"To provide a strong witness of the love of Christ, in addition to creating an atmosphere conducive to sharing the Gospel message by responding as quickly as possible to disaster situations in Florida."
The Southern Baptist Convention offers Disaster Relief training to volunteers and ensures the readiness of equipment to respond in the aftermath of a natural or man-made disaster. After a disaster the ministry coordinates the deployment of volunteers and support equipment to assist individuals and churches by providing emergency feeding, on-site clean-up and recovery services. If you would like to be ready to respond to a disaster event, you mustfirstbe trained by theFlorida Baptist Convention. There are several locations at which training will be available this year. Attend any and as many as youlike. Cross-training in different ministries that you are passionate about makes you a better resource when God calls you to serve. If you would like to be part of the Idlewild Disaster Relief Ministry, make sure you take one of these classes!
If you've already trained with the Southern Baptist Disaster Relief program and would like to become moreprepared for a disaster, or be part of theStrike Forceteam, theCommunity Emergency Response Team(CERT) training is for you! CERT educates people about disaster preparedness for hazards that may impact their area and trains them in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical aid. A CERT subsequentadvancedtraining course that is required to be part of our unique "strike force" team isFirst Responders. This course is also offered by CERT and further educates disaster volunteers in the areas of first aid, disaster medical assistance, CPR and Automated External Defibrillator (AED) operations. Also recommended is the Incident Command System (ICS) training that can be taken online through the Federal Emergency Management Association(FEMA) website. These courses educate volunteers inthe incident command structure that the Florida Baptist Convention has adopted. These courses are:
G400 – Advanced ICS, Command and General Staff – Complex Incidents, ICS-400 (required by FBC, recommended by CERT).
The Disaster Relief Ministry is also in need of a volunteer base of HAM radio operators. The acronym "HAM" originated from "amateur" being shortened to "am" then eventually changed to "HAM." Idlewild Baptist Church is responsible for a unique radio station that provides support for several disaster situations. HAMS are needed to serve in the Communications Center at Idlewild, in the mobile Communications trailer and/or in the field with the clean-up and recovery teams. If you are a licensed HAM radio operator and are interested in becoming a member of the Disaster Relief Ministry, please contact us. If you are interested in becoming a HAM, please follow these steps:
1) Check out and study the book ARRL Ham Radio License Manual, 1st Editionfrom the Idlewild Baptist Church library;
Following are several of the incidents to which the Disaster Relief Ministry deployed:
2010 HAITI EARTHQUAKE – 155,000 Buckets of Hope containing food have been distributed to the people of Haiti in response to the January 12, 2010 catastrophic magnitude 7.0 earthquake that struck the Caribbean island country of Haiti; the strongest earthquake to hit the country in 200 years. Teams from Idlewild were mobilized to Haiti to assist in the demolition of damaged buildings to clear the way for reconstruction efforts and to provide evangelism counseling, spreading the word of God. At least a dozen professions of faith were witnessed. While in Haiti, teams also worked on constructing three Samaritan’s Purse shelters for an orphanage; one shelter was totally constructed, a second was constructed midway and a third had the frame completed. This same team also built a prototype shelter at the volunteer housing area to show other teams the finished product prior to those teams going into the field to construct additional shelters. Click Here for additional photographs.
2009 MIDWEST ICE STORM - Florida Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers which included Idlewild were mobilized to First Baptist Church of Clinton in western Kentucky to provide tree cleanup and debris removal after the paralyzing ice storm that moved up the Mississippi River. Multiple houses were inaccessible due to downed trees and were without power for weeks.Click Here for additional photographs.
2008 HURRICANE GUSTAV - Southern Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers which included Idlewild were mobilized to First Baptist Church of Baton Rouge, Louisiana to assist with "priority 1" tree and debris removal jobs in the wake of Hurricane Gustav. There were more than ten professions of faith accounted for by our team which included our "Strike Force" partner First Baptist Church of Lutz. Click Here for additional photographs .
2008 TROPICAL STORM FAY - Florida Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers which included Idlewild were mobilized to First Baptist Church of Melbourne on the east coast of Florida to provide mud-out and debris removal after intense rains and localized flooding. Several homes experienced flooding ranging from 18" to 8'. There were at least two professions of faith from our efforts in Melbourne and the surrounding areas. Click Here for additional photographs .
2007 GROUNDHOG DAY TORNADOES - Florida Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers which included Idlewild were activated to First Baptist Church of Lady Lake in Central Florida on two separate occasions to provide tree and debris removal along with roof repair after the Groundhog Day Tornadoes carved a path across the state. There was at least one profession of faith made as a result of our team's impact. Click Here for additional photographs.
2004 HURRICANE CHARLEY - Idlewild volunteers self-mobilized to First Baptist of Punta Gorda on the west coast of Florida to assist in tree removal, mud-out and roof repair in the wake of a series of hurricanes to hit the state of Florida in 2004. Once onsite, Idlewild teamed with the Florida Baptist Disaster Relief and Samaritan's Purse. As a result of this event, the "Strike Force" team and Idlewild's partnership with First Baptist Church of Lutz was formed and accepted by the Florida Baptist Disaster Relief. Click Here for additional photographs .
Following are the resources that are currently available to the Idlewild Baptist Disaster Relief Ministry Strike Force. This equipment is under the direction of the Florida Baptist Convention Disaster Relief Ministry in accordance with the memorandum of understanding.
The 48' SUPPLY TRAILER is the self-contained supply center for the Strike Force. It contains items necessary for bedding, cooking, housing and showers to support volunteers while mobilized. The trailer moves to disaster sites within Florida and is pulled with a volunteer tractor. This unit is the only one of its kind in the country and is the glue for the Strike Force team which is the only two-church Disaster Relief partnership at this time!
Two 16' CLEAN-UP/RECOVERY TRAILERS are stocked with items for volunteers to use in clean-up and recovery at the disaster sites. They mobilize with a ½ ton vehicle with trailer braking system. These units can be mobilized with or without the Strike Force. Even though our memorandum of understanding with the SBC is the State of Florida, these units can mobilize country wide. The units carry mud-out, roofing repair, clean-up and tree removal tools.
The WATER TRAILER provides a pressurized water source that supplies water to the kitchen for cleaning and for the showers. It mobilizes to disaster sites only when the Strike Force does and only in Florida via a ½ ton vehicle with trailer braking system.
The SKID STEER is manned by a trained volunteer to clear large brush and tree debris at disaster sites within Florida or outside the state on a case by case basis. It is volunteer owned and deploys with or without the Strike Force, requiring a ½ ton vehicle with trailer braking system to pull it.
The EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS BASE STATION (N4IBC) is located at Idlewild Baptist Church on the 3rd floor. The EmComm center is manned with volunteer licensed HAM operators who, while using UHF/VHF/UF frequencies, coordinate efforts, provide logistics and pass messages with volunteers and other agencies at the disaster sites. This station also provides backup support for the local HC Emergency Operations Center.
The Strike Force's COMMUNICATIONS TRAILER travels in or out of Florida with the Strike Force. It has mobile UHF/VHF/UF capabilities and is manned with volunteer licensed HAM operators who assist volunteers with communications to the base station. The communications trailer requires a ½ ton vehicle with trailer braking system to mobilize.
