Lutheran Disaster
Response has been busy this last month preparing for the aftermath of the
spring flooding throughout the state.
The State of North
Dakota contacted LDR on March 26, and requested a reception/evacuation
center at the West Fargo Fairgrounds be created. It needed to be ready to
manage as many as 30,000-50,000 evacuees if necessary. It was estimated that
as many as 5,000 could come through the reception area with special needs.
We coordinated with other agencies, volunteer groups, and individuals
throughout the region to staff the reception area.
The purpose of the
center was multi-faceted. First, it allowed for people to be quickly
evacuated from their homes. Once they reached the center, evacuees had
access to mental health and nursing professionals. As evacuees were
registered, their needs were inventoried, and they were assigned to a
shelter based on those needs. Based on the shelter they would be going to,
they were also assigned a bus if they did not have their own transportation.
Once enough people were registered, buses were loaded and sent to their
designated shelter.
The shelter was set up
so people could receive the support they needed while still moving through
the evacuation process. Along with mental health and medical personnel,
there were also two children’s area set up, allowing parents to register
while their children were monitored. Also, refreshments were provided for
evacuees, while they were registering and waiting for the buses to depart.
Approximately 100 special needs evacuees utilized the reception area. A
second crest is expected in the Fargo area in the next week or so.
Predictions for the next crest are higher than the previous one, so it is
possible the reception area may be set need to be set up again.
LDR is taking an active
role in planning for the long term flood recovery and rebuild efforts in the
Fargo area. LDR has participated in the initial meeting, and will also be
in attendance for the sub-committee meetings on case management and
volunteer organization. We are also acting as a “check-in” point for
national organizations wanting to come into North Dakota to help with flood
recovery and rebuild. In doing this, we can ensure that the communities
throughout the state will get the help they need.
Bonnie Turner,
representatives of the national LDR office, and local pastors met with the
administration of Oak Grove School. Possible ways LDR may assist with clean
up and rebuild were discussed, including volunteer coordination.
Bishop Mark Narum and
Bonnie traveled through out western North Dakota assessing the current
conditions and needs in that part of the state. Ted Upgren has been hired
by LDR to serve as a contact person for the Western part of the state.
Please encourage people to contact Ted or Bonnie with any requests for help
or offers to volunteer.
Linton, in Emmons
County, had 75 homes in Old Town that were impacted by flood waters.
Operation Blessing (part of Pat Robertson’s group), Samaritan’s Purse
(Franklin Graham’s group) and Nechama (Jewish disaster response group) have
all be working in Linton to help clean up. However, the area could use
additional volunteers to shorten the clean up time. The system used in
Northwood will be used in responding to the long term recovery and
rebuilding efforts in Linton.
In the rural areas of
the state, there is a significant loss of fencing, cattle and calves.
Farmers can’t get to their cattle to help with the calving process, or bring
the calves in to protect them from the elements. LDR is looking to initiate
another fencing replacement effort, similar to the one after the 1997
blizzards. We will continue working with local, state, federal and
voluntary agencies to meet the needs of rural North Dakota. Sandra Simonson
Thums has been hired as a rural specialist to assess the needs of rural
areas throughout the state. Ms. Thums previously worked in our state in
past years so she is aware of our needs.
LDR has been in contact
with county, city, and congregational leaders throughout the state of North
Dakota. We are monitoring the Jamestown and Valley City area as events
continue to unfold. We are also monitoring the Northern Red River Valley, as
water travel upstream to Traill, Grand Forks, Walsh and Pembina Counties.
Our purpose with each contact is to assess current and future situations as
well as any needs that may arise. We are working with other volunteer
agencies throughout North Dakota to assess needs and strategize recovery
efforts. These conversations are continuing on a daily basis with
information and planning continually updated. If you have any information in
these areas, please forward them to Bonnie Turner.
The national LDR offices
are supporting our local efforts in several ways. They have given LDR
$30,000 for staffing and immediate needs. They also approved hiring Sandra
Simonson Thums and also the LDR staff person for the Western part of the
state. Kevin Massey, National Director of LDR/ELCA Domestic Disaster
Director, and Glenn Merritt, LCMS World Relief and Human Care Disaster
Director, visited the area a the end of March. Lutheran Disaster Response
is a collaborative effort of the ELCA and LCMS to respond to domestic
disasters.
The regional Thrivent
office has also agreed to match funds donated to the recovery efforts up to
$25,000. In working with the regional offices, we will be able to use the
matching funds for both city and rural areas in the region. Thrivent and
LDR will be working closely together in distributing the funds. Farm Aid has
also given $10,000 to aid farmers in their clean up and long term recovery
effort.
In order to help us have
a better understanding of the needs throughout the state, we are working
closely with the State of North Dakota, especially the Department of Human
Services and FEMA Region VIII. As we garner information, national disaster
response teams are checking in with LDR so we can direct them to the
locations where their services can best be utilized. We are also offering
our clean up database software to these national organizations to keep track
of the volunteers that are helping them. Also we are putting our Disaster
Response Database into use, which was developed following 1997 flooding by
LDR ND, and has since become a tool used by organizations throughout the
country.
We will continue working
with other ecumenical national and local partners in trying to identify and
meet the needs today and tomorrow across the state.
Bonnie Turner, Director
Lutheran Disaster
Response ND
800-950-2901
bturner@lssnd.org
