We were stunned by the sight -elderly patients in their nightgowns and bare feet, scrambling around, thinking war had erupted. It wasn't war, it was a fire - the hospital had been struck by lightning.

This was just one of many crisis events that led me to believe faith communities can share the love of Christ by complementing and enhancing the duties of emergency services organizations. As we work together, the impact of disasters on individuals and communities can be significantly reduced.

A number of our Alliance churches have responded to all sorts of emergencies, from fires in the Okanogan to floods in places like Peterborough and Winnipeg. Just over a year ago, a young woman became the second in Portage la Prairie to go missing in a short time.

The Manitoba Search and Rescue provided organizational skills for the hundreds of local people who braved the cold, wet weather to help in the search. The Portage Alliance Church staff and teams of volunteers opened their hearts and shared their space, without hesitation, to help where they could.

About 30 members of the Alliance Church congregation in Terrace, B.C. helped Samaritan's Purse and the Billy Graham Rapid Response teams during the flood in June 2007. They put in 776 hours of volunteer time, helping homeowners clean up the mess left by the flood waters, ministering to the emotional and spiritual needs of people affected by the disaster, and helped cook meals and host out-of-town volunteers.

God helped Noah to be well-prepared before disaster struck. How prepared are we to face community crises? Are our congregations ready should disaster strike?

Many denominations today are setting up guidelines for preparing for disaster. These could include anything from hurricanes, earthquakes, wildfires, and ice storms to terrorism, hazardous material spills, a pandemic, or a host of other things. As a part of these guidelines, the suggestion is made that each church should set up an Emergency Response Committee to develop a disaster plan for the staff and members of the congregation to follow.

A disaster plan will help to protect church property, help the church continue its services, care for its members, communicate information and help in the recovery from disaster-related damage. It will be relevant and useful if it is developed by concerned people, tailored to the community and needs of the church members; if it includes training of those responsible during an emergency; if it's tested before disaster strikes, and if it's reviewed and updated on a regular basis.

The church should be available to help during the three stages of a crisis:

• Relief - begins in the days following a disaster when congregations may offer shelter, provide food or help with distribution of clothing, etc. Members may help those affected to apply for assistance.  

• Recovery - can take years, as we have witnessed following Hurricane Katrina or the earthquake in Haiti. Often support diminishes as the event becomes old news, but the needs are still there long after the media have left. Putting lives back together requires care, compassion, hope and love. Who can offer these any more than a person who loves and serves Christ?

We must coordinate our efforts with government and other emergency organizations such as the Canadian Red Cross, The Salvation Army, St. John's Ambulance, etc. Otherwise, we could end up being more of a hindrance than a help.

In Calgary, the Regional Faith Community Emergency Preparedness Coalition has linked local churches with emergency agencies so Christians will be part of the primary response to any disaster. More than 25 Calgary churches completed an assessment identifying resources they can provide in the event of an emergency.