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Catholic parishes take part
in disaster training session

By Judy Bokorney, Web Site Editor

Over 40 representatives from Catholic parishes in the Diocese of Venice attended a one-day hurricane preparedness training session recently at St. Thomas More Church in Sarasota and Resurrection Church in Fort Myers. Participants traveled from all over the diocese, which encompasses 10 counties in Southwest Florida from Manatee to Collier to take part in the event.

Deacon Marcus Hepburn, statewide disaster coordinator for the Florida Catholic Conference, conducted the training sessions in conjunction with Catholic Charities all over the State of Florida prior to hurricane season. According to Hepburn, the purpose of the sessions was to assist parishes in preparation for a hurricane and to guide collaborative relief efforts in response to such a disaster. “If you don’t plan, who will?” Hepburn asked the attendees. “Work with your local emergency management. They are very experienced and can offer much assistance.”

Hepburn gave each parish member a planning guide, which will serve as a tool to assist in preparing, developing, implementing and monitoring disaster response. The goals of the hurricane readiness plan are to reduce human suffering by promoting family preparedness and addressing the needs of the elderly, adequately protecting sacramental records and church property, and planning and providing outreach efforts to assist the communities affected by a hurricane.

A member of each parish was appointed to attend the training and will be responsible for coordinating parish disaster plans and relief efforts. “In the past two years Florida has been struck by seven hurricanes, four of those with a direct hit in our diocese,” said Peter Routsis-Arroyo, president of Catholic Charities, Diocese of Venice, Inc. “We are still assisting people with the long-term recovery from those storms. We know that being prepared can reduce the level of impact from a hurricane.”

Catholic Charities is responsible for disaster preparedness and response in the Diocese of Venice. Anyone who would like more information about disaster planning can call 941-488-5581 or click on the link below for more information.

Catholic Charities Disaster Planning Tips

Photo: Deacon Marcus Hepburn, statewide disaster coordinator for the Florida Catholic Conference, conducted the training sessions in conjunction with Catholic Charities all over the State of Florida prior to hurricane season.