United Methodist Committee on Relief
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EPIC partners play an important role in emergencies. Learn about a different partner each month.
What is the mission of your organization?
Founded in 1940, the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) is the United Methodist Church’s (UMC) global humanitarian aid and development agency. Our mission is to alleviate human suffering—whether caused by war, conflict, or natural disaster—with open hearts and minds to all people.
We respond to natural or civil disasters of such magnitude that they overwhelm a community's ability to recover on its own. The agency works through programs that address hunger, poverty, sustainable agriculture, international and U.S. emergencies, global migration, global health issues, and transitional development.
What is the role of your organization in a public health emergency?
During public health emergencies, we work with the Global Health unit of United Methodist Global Ministries to scale up existing community education, care seeking, and health service utilization programs.
The Global Health unit works to increase health intervention coverage for the most at-risk populations and improve the quality and scale of health care services offered through UMC hospitals and clinics.
How do you plan for emergencies?
Our agency plans for emergencies by working with our local regional conferences and partners before emergencies. We provide access to disaster response planning experts and also offer Emergency Response Training (ERT) to volunteers, houses of worship, and communities all across the country.
Our ERT team members receive 8 hours of classroom instruction. This training includes advanced study of specific topics, and students undergo a background check and are certified for 3 years. Approximately 10,000 ERT members are certified in the United States and its territories, reinforcing our “from everywhere to everywhere” motto.
We work with the Global Health unit to prepare for health emergencies by ensuring that medical countermeasures (MCMs) are prepositioned. We also ensure enough medicines and supplies are available to save lives in the event of a public health emergency. The Global Health unit also makes sure UMC health facility staff are well trained and immediately report suspected disease cases to the integrated disease surveillance and response systems in their countries.
What is one experience or lesson learned that you have from an emergency response?
Our agency is known for being “early in, last out.” We provide local partners with the grants, support, and disaster case management programs that can empower survivors to lead their own way out of disaster to recovery. We have learned that after the initial wave of public attention to an emergency has faded away, a great deal of meaningful work remains to be done. Disaster case management requires a long-term commitment.
What is one piece of advice you would give to other EPIC partners?
Collaboration is key and maximizing relationships is essential. Commit time to networking with other disaster response agencies, and create opportunities for survivors to become individuals helping others.
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CONTACT US
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Email: epic@cdc.gov
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention1600 Clifton Rd
Atlanta, GA 30333 Questions? |
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