BY NICK DIAMANTIDES
Staff Writer
It is said in the Bible that almost 2,000 years ago Jesus Christ told His followers, “Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in Heaven.” Andrew Scammon, disaster preparedness coordinator for the River Church in Long Beach said that’s exactly what parishioners have in mind as they work to prepare the community for California’s long overdue major earthquake or other catastrophic event.
“One way we can show God’s love is to help people get through whatever disaster may strike our region,” he said, noting that the church spent about a year researching emergency preparedness what various organizations had to offer. “We discovered that the number-one challenge all the agencies face is the lack of residents participating in emergency preparedness,” he said. “Lots of materials and training are available, but it is difficult to get residents to actually take steps to prepare the major catastrophe that will one day strike.”
Scammon noted that for about a year, The River Church’s parishioners have been working with Kingdom Causes (a nonprofit group) to encourage churches and residents to form a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) in their respective areas. The church’s effort includes a June 29 hour-long presentation on what CERT is all about.
“The president of the Long Beach CERT, Steve Gretch, will describe what CERT is, how it interacts with the fire department and the community and how residents can get involved,” Scammon explained. “Steve is also going to distribute kits and information on how individuals and families can prepare for disaster. He will go over some of the basic information like how much water you need, important telephone numbers and radio stations that will provide updates on the disaster.”
Throughout the year the Long Beach and Los Angeles County Fire Departments offer CERT training classes. The entire course is about 12 hours long and can be scheduled for once a week or weekend sessions. The classes cover such topics as how to search neighborhood homes for survivors, how to use a fire extinguisher, how to get critically injured people to a place where they can be treated and a host of other procedures that can save lives in times of disaster.
“There are not enough fire fighters and paramedics in Los Angeles County to handle all the individual emergencies that will be taking place during a major disaster,” Scammon stressed. “Most local residents and business owners are going to have to fend for themselves and take care of each other for several days, and if they are not prepared to do that, the cost in human suffering is going to be much greater.”
Scammon noted that Gretch will briefly describe what CERT training entails so that people know what to expect if they enroll in the program. Gretch’s presentation is offered free and is open to everyone, as is the actual CERT training.
In addition to its involvement with CERT, The River Church is also working on meeting the requirements to become a Red Cross emergency shelter in times of disaster, which would include having separate showers for men and women.
The River Church also collects food donations, which it delivers to the Long Beach Rescue Mission, sends church members to help out there, and provides cash donations and maintenance assistance to Hamilton Middle School.
Scammon stressed that the church’s basic foundational doctrine is based on acceptance of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior “We believe Christ was born of a virgin, died on the cross for the sins of the human race, rose again on the third day, ascended into heaven and will one day return to the earth to establish His worldwide Kingdom of righteousness, love, peace and joy,” he said. “We believe that God does not lie to us and the things written in the Bible are actual historical events that really happened.”
Scammon stressed, however, that the church does not try to force its beliefs on others. “Our calling is to put our faith in action by reaching out to others in any way that we can,” he said. “We really just want to minister to our neighbors. We feel that the best way to show God’s love to people is to take what He has given us and use it to make their lives better.”
The hour-long CERT presentation takes place June 29 at 1:30 p.m. at The River Church, 345 East Carson Street between Atlantic Avenue and Long Beach Boulevard. For more information, phone (562) 981-9168.
