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Church Readiness Check
Seven questions, about two minutes. Get a score, a printable gap plan, and one concrete next step for every area that needs work.
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Tools for churches who want to be ready.
Practical, printable resources for church leaders — no signup required. The best time to decide who calls whom is an ordinary week, not the morning after a crisis.
Pillar guide
Church Disaster Response: A Practical Guide
What church-led disaster response is, how it works, and practical steps before, during, and after a disaster.
Read the guideFlood recovery guide
A wise first 72 hours
A people-first guide for churches after flooding: safety, first-call leadership, care lists, communication, and coordinated volunteers.
Read the 72-hour guidePreparedness
Before the Storm: 7 Decisions
Seven decisions every church should make now — leadership, care lists, assets, communication, and relationships.
Read the articleHosting guide
How to host flood volunteers
What a church can actually offer, who should lead the building, and how to brief teams without turning hospitality into chaos.
Read the hosting guidePrintable checklist
First 24 hours — church response
Once it is safe to act, the most helpful first response is usually relational and specific. Use this as a starting point.
- Confirm leaders are safe and name who is coordinating.
- Check on vulnerable people first — before posting a broad call.
- Listen for actual needs: food, water, transport, shelter, medication.
- Share verified information only — say what you know and what you don't.
- Coordinate with nearby churches before duplicating efforts.
- Protect dignity — offer help without turning crisis into content.
- Document who you've checked on and what follow-up is needed.
Printable checklist
First 72 hours — church flood recovery
A people-first sequence for the days after flooding. Use it with the full guide, not as a substitute for official safety direction.
- Name a first-call leader and a backup before posting a public ask.
- Follow official safety guidance — do not enter unsafe buildings or closed roads.
- Check on vulnerable neighbours first using a simple care list.
- Write down verified needs separately from rumours and good intentions.
- Coordinate with nearby churches before duplicating a service already in motion.
- Gather volunteer skills and availability before sending a crowd.
- Protect dignity — no photos or stories of people in crisis without consent.
- Set the next update time, even if the update is simply, “We are still listening.”
Read the full 72-hour flood recovery guide, then join the volunteer roster if you can serve.
Printable template
Care list — who to check on first
Build this list in peacetime. In a crisis, you will know exactly who needs an early call.
- Seniors living alone
- Families without transportation
- Medically vulnerable neighbours
- Newcomers without local support
- Single parents with young children
- People with mobility limitations
- Households with language barriers
- Anyone recently bereaved or isolated
- Other: _________________________________
Printable briefing
Volunteer briefing card
Read this aloud before teams leave the parking lot. Five minutes of clarity protects neighbours, hosts, and the people serving.
- Who is in charge today, and how to reach them.
- Where you may go — and where you may not.
- Follow official safety guidance. Do not enter unsafe buildings or closed roads.
- Do not self-deploy into neighbourhoods without an assignment.
- No photos or stories of people in crisis without clear consent.
- Affected neighbours come first. Volunteers eat, rest, and leave on time.
- Bring only the gear you are qualified and invited to use.
- Know the day's end time and how leftover food, tools, or people get closed out.
Use with How to Host Flood Volunteers at Your Church. Extra willing people can join the volunteer roster instead of walking into the neighbourhood uninvited.
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Practical guides across preparedness, recovery, discipleship, and more — all written for churches who want to be ready.