LCC Disaster Response Ministry

LCC Disaster Response deploys, coordinates and manages volunteer teams as they respond to disasters throughout the United States and beyond. LCC trains volunteer Lutheran Early Response Teams (LERT) through our LCMS congregations in many areas of disaster response.

Approximately 850 active LCC volunteers have been certified in basic LERT training. Many have gone on to certify in additional training such as chainsaw, heavy equipment, debris removal, flood recovery with pumps, mucking homes and how to provide emotion and spiritual care. LERT volunteers can prepare, cook and serve meals to volunteers and affected communities while deployed. For LERT volunteers, disaster response is an essential relief and outreach ministry.

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Chainsaw Team
Over 350 LERT chainsaw volunteers have been trained by an ASI Certified Arborist and a team of advanced chainsaw team leaders in:

• Safe chainsaw handling, cutting practices, and dragging
• Personal protective OSHA requirement safety equipment
• Precision tree felling operations
• Best practices and use of rigging for pulling trees and directional felling
• Operator usage and maintenance of equipment (chainsaws, wedges, spring poles, rigging equipment, safety harnesses, hand tools, misc. power equipment)
  
  

LERT chainsaw teams can provide storm clean‐up work after a small or large disaster, such as:

• Downed branches or trees
• Trees leaning on a home
• Damaged or hanging tree limbs
• Uprooted trees with root balls
• Site cleanup

LERT chainsaw teams have outfitted trailers with tools, rigging, safety equipment, chainsaws, and heavy equipment to use when responding to disasters, such as:

• Light and heavy duty tractors with grapples
• Bobcats with grapples
• Front loader
• Dump Trailer

• Boom lifts

LCC never charges those we serve. We are able to do that with the support of donors.

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Download LERT Flyer

Download Chainsaw Team Flyer

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