By Cathy Kissner – Grants Pass, Oregon … Members of the Rocky Mountain Conference Adventist Community Service Disaster Rapid Response Leadership team were requested, on October 1, to assist the North Pacific Union Conference and the Oregon Conference in the recovery of the wildfires impacting the State of Oregon.

Their responsibility was to establish and oversee the opening of a multi-agency warehouse to assist the southern Oregon recovery from the wildfires, and to train members of the Oregon and North Pacific Union Conference.

“We were determined to complete the set-up in the time allotted,” Cathy Kissner, RMC ACS leader, said.   “There were many obstacles that had to be met and overcome.   The State of Oregon as well as the North Pacific Union Conference and Oregon Conference had never set up a Multi-Agency Warehouse.”

The group established the volunteer area, office, sorting, receiving, shipping and inventoried areas.  The team wanted to make sure that when the operation of the warehouse was transferred to local leadership, they would be able to operate the multi-agency warehouse with minimal difficulty.

The team is concerned about the unfolding situation in Colorado and Wyoming with the ongoing wildfires.

“We are monitoring all the CO/WY fires.  Larimer County has requested ACS DR to assist with donations management.   The county is looking for a 55,000 square foot facility that can be used as a collection/distribution site as well as a staging area,” Kissner said.

To become a member of the Rapid Response Leadership requires classes in donation operation, multi-agency warehouse and FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) classes on leadership.  If you are interesting becoming a member please contact:  Cathy Kissner at [email protected]

–Cathy Kissner is RMC director of Adventist Community Services; photos supplied