Save the Dates: Aug 6-8, 2026
Disaster Relief Training in Northern California to combine Northwest and California DR efforts with multiple training offerings!
Living Valley Church, Yreka, CA, 921 S Oregon St, Yreka, CA 96097
You just may be a Disaster Relief volunteer waiting to be trained!
This is a joint venture involving Northwest Baptist Disaster Relief and California Southern Baptist Disaster Relief. The instruction will focus on several ministry skills that are effective in disaster response and other ministry settings.
[Participants are not obligated to join Northwest or California disaster relief ministries.]
Thursday, August 6 (Register for OSFA here.)
Operational Stress First Aid, 8 AM – 5 PM, Trainer: Naomi Paget
Operational Stress First Aid (OSFA) is a unique, flexible, and multi-step peer support tool designed to assess and mitigate pre-clinical psychological stress injuries (psychological first aid). Originally developed by the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, it has been effectively adapted to equip first responders, healthcare professionals, disaster relief chaplains, and ministry leaders with actionable tools to preserve well-being and promote recovery.
Friday, August 7 (Register here for Friday-Saturday training.)
Disaster Relief Chaplain Basic Training (2-days), 7:30 AM – 5 PM, Trainer: Naomi Paget
Disaster relief chaplains come from a variety of professions and ministries. They may be pastors, chaplains, counselors, teachers, social workers, or psychologists. Disaster relief chaplains may also be laity—men and women who respond to God’s call upon their lives to provide care and compassion to hurting people during the crisis of disasters. Spiritual care is leading, guiding, nurturing, sustaining, healing, and restoring. The purpose of this course is to enhance essential skills to support disaster survivors and responders.
Saturday, August 8 (Register here for Friday-Saturday training.)
Involving Southern Baptists in Disaster Relief (ISBDR), 7:30 AM – 12:30 PM, Trainer: Kendrick Neal
Required basic training for all disaster relief volunteers. Will give attendees an understanding of how Southern Baptist Disaster Relief is organized to bring Help, Hope and Healing to people and families affected by a disaster.
Disaster Relief Chaplain (day 2), 11 AM – 5 PM. (Participants will attend first part of ISBDR.)
Lunch provided
Introduction to Feeding: Operations and Safe Food Handling, 1:15 PM – 5 PM, Trainer: Laurie Panter
First class in the ‘feeding skill set’. It will provide an overview of the feeding operation and explain the duties and responsibilities of each position on the feeding team. It will focus on the safe food handling process as outlined by state and local health departments. Participants will learn about feeding operations and procedures that will ensure safe storage, handling, preparation and distribution of food to disaster victims and workers.
Introduction to Cleanup and Personal Property Recovery, 1:15 PM – 5 PM, Trainer: Kendrick Neal
Discover ministry through the safe and effective cleanup following a disaster of shattered hopes, lives and property. Learn the precautions necessary for the safety of the volunteer and the methods and tools for efficient clean-up. Debris removal and cleanup for wildfires, floods and earthquakes known as Fire Cleanup, Ash Out, and Mud Out. Personal Property Recovery will focus on the safe and effective way to systematically sort through ash, helping residents to find any property that may have survived the fire.
The training is provided at no cost as a cooperative ministry of Northwest and California Southern Baptist churches. Lunch and meeting refreshments are provided each day of training. Participants are responsible for some meals, lodging, and transportation. Registration (use links) is greatly encouraged.
For more information:
Gary Floyd
503.720.6373
[email protected]