How much does membership in DER cost?
Our mission is to prepare Kern County for the next inevitable disaster. Through the shared vision of private donors and many volunteers, DER is able to provide this service to our community at no cost to you.
Who will run the program at my church?
We encourage churches to assign one person, or a small group of people, to run their disaster preparedness program. These coordinators will attend trainings, prepare the congregation, and be directing when a need arises. We have a separate training for pastors to equip them to serve in a spiritual capacity during a disaster.
If the damn breaks our location will be flooded within hours. What’s the point of preparing?
The truth is nobody will know the next disaster until it happens. The next disaster may be a neighborhood fire near your facility, earthquake, flood, or occur in another city driving people to seek refuge in Bakersfield. By being prepared now we are certain to save lives in the future.
Our people are CERT trained. Do we need to be involved with DER?
DER is compiled of many partner organizations within Kern County. As a result, we can provide additional educational opportunities.
Is our church too small to be a part of DER?
Absolutely not! Part of the eduction you’ll receive through DER will include information for you to share with your members on how to prepare an emergency plan for their family at home. Additional training can help you to pinpoint the ways your church can serve during a disaster.
Where can I find more resources on emergency preparedness?
There are several organization working to get the community prepared. Here are links to a few we recommend:
Local
DER Brochure: click here
Bakersfield Fire Department: www.bakersfieldcity.us/fire
Kern County Fire Department: www.kerncountyfire.org
Kern County Department of Public Health: www.kernpublichealth.com/
Kern Chapter of the American Red Cross: www.kernredcross.org/home.asp
San Joaquin Community Hospital Recommendation for Disaster Kits: ReadyStore Flyer, Family Worksheet , ReadyStore Catalog, ReadyGuide
National
Salvation Army: www.salvationarmy.org/
Victim Relief: www.victimrelief.org
Official FEMA website: www.fema.gov
Department of Homeland Security: www.dhs.gov/index.shtm
Promising Practices Website: www.promisingpractices.org
At-Risk Populations & Pandemic Influenza: www.astho.org
