Book Review: We are all Chaplains in a Crisis- Group's Emergency Response Handbook

I moved away from the Texas Gulf Coast last year but still get prepared, spiritually and materially, this time of year.  Old habits I suppose.  Hurricane, wildfire and flood workers live in a world that is always over run and overwhelmed. The rest of us are not exempt though. Group, along with the Salvation Army, provide a book that is an excellent resource for preparing yourself for the possibility of a crisis. It provides what to do and say along with what NOT to do and say. Each topic contains a brief list of guiding scriptures also.  I have used as a text in teaching small groups and classes preparing local church chaplains with great success too.  

However, this little book is also a great source of information for those spontaneous ministers/workers on the ground who are overwhelmed and unprepared in a crisis. This is a book that an early responder could hand to someone and simply tell them to go. While not the best situation, this is better than no response. It could also help an unsteady volunteer become both a part of the solution and prevent mental injury from helping.

This is one of a series of handbooks by Group. It is broad enough to be useful and specific enough to be "real". It is efficient, organized and clear. It is not an exhaustive study on crisis management. Use it as a starting place for study and an easy reference when the adrenaline is running. Every church response organization, early response team and firehouse should have a copy. This link goes to Amazon and has some excerpts and the table of contents.   Group's Emergency Response Handbook for Disaster Relief (Group's Emergency Response Handbooklet) They are available at all of the Christian book sellers and Christianbooks.com used to have a case price.

**Extra Resource**  Another good and brief resource is "Light our Way"-available in Spanish and English. You can purchase it in print or download free  from VOAD-Volunteer Organizations Allied in Disasters (www.nvoad.org) at http://www.ldr.org/care/Light_Our_Way.pdf 

Both of these go on my essential book shelf.