Disaster training conference to be Nov. 2-6

Published: July 29, 2015

Catholic Charities USA will host its national Applied Institute for Disaster Excellence (AIDE) at the Arkansas 4H Conference Center in west Little Rock Nov 2-6. AIDE is an annual training program that equips the Catholic Charities network, diocesan and parish staffs and partner agencies such as the Society of St. Vincent de Paul and the Knights of Columbus, for their roles in disaster preparedness and response. See schedule. Registration is now closed.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for parishes in our diocese to take advantage of cutting edge instruction,” said Patrick Gallaher, executive director of Catholic Charities of Arkansas.

AIDE is a hands-on conference providing instruction on preparedness, response, recovery and mitigation training. The goal of the conference is to make parishes more resilient in the face of catastrophes. Because of its central location in Little Rock, Catholic parishes from Arkansas and the bordering states will have the chance to take advantage of the best disaster training offered.

This will allow all the participants to engage as colleagues on critical disaster issues. Three tracks will be offered to fit various levels of experience and roles. These include:

• Disaster 101 — This is the basic track and emphasizes the foundations in disaster preparedness, response and recovery. This level of training is appropriate for staff and volunteers with limited formal training in disaster strategies.
• Disaster 201 — This is for those who have a good basis in disaster issues either through prior training or experience.
• Disaster 301 — This equips the diocesan and parish ministry-based staff and volunteers for disaster strategies specific to the unique needs of the diocese and parish.

Registration is now closed. For more information about this event, contact Gallaher at (501) 664-0340, ext. 352. To learn more about Catholic Charities USA's disaster response programs, visit the organization's website.