Scientology Volunteer Ministers Support President Obama’s Call for Disaster Readiness

Scientology Volunteer Ministers are working with police, firefighters and other community organizations to ready citizens for effective disaster response as part of National Preparedness Month.

Scientology Volunteer Ministers from San Diego to New York are bringing practical—and potentially lifesaving—information to the general public this month as part of President Obama’s National Preparedness Month.  Together with local police, firefighters and animal protection agencies, the aim is to prepare individuals and communities to better withstand and more rapidly recover from emergencies.

On September 12 in San Diego, the Volunteer Ministers, Humane Society, Animal Rescue team and Chamber of Commerce will host a series of workshops for local residents on trauma recovery and protecting pets in disasters.  In Los Angeles, the Volunteer Ministers are working with the County Sheriff’s Multi-Faith Clergy Council to aid residents in coping with the wildfires that continue to burn in the area.

In Portland on September 19, the Volunteer Ministers will hold an all-afternoon event at O’Bryant Square for people who live or work downtown to meet and connect with the Portland Fire and Rescue Bureau and the Portland Office of Emergency Management’s Neighborhood Emergency Teams (NET) for their area.

Attendees will learn about NET training, a free 25-hour course that teaches Portland residents how to prepare their families in case of disaster.  NET training topics include light search and rescue, disaster medical triage, preparation of a 72-hour kit, and other skills.

An Office of Neighborhood Involvement City of Portland Crime Prevention Coordinator will co-present “Know Your Neighborhood” (KYN), which forwards crime prevention through environmental design and basic emergency preparedness information.

Volunteer Ministers who served at disaster sites such as 9/11, Katrina and the Indian Ocean tsunami will demonstrate techniques developed by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard that help victims recover emotionally and physically after an injury or traumatic event.

The afternoon will conclude with a Meet Your Fire Station Social, an interactive social event where attendees can meet and ask questions of Portland Fire and Rescue Bureau personnel from the three stations that serve the downtown neighbors and businesses.

According to Maria Reyher, a Scientology Volunteer Ministers Disaster Response Coordinator in Los Angeles, Volunteer Minister Disaster Readiness events are planned throughout September.  “The President asked that all Americans work to coordinate local emergency preparedness efforts, and this coordination is a very critical element,” she says.  “Scientology Volunteer Ministers know that something can be done about any situation, and by improving our ability to respond to emergencies widely, we can all be more responsible for the safety and security of ourselves and others.”