“Our vision is to train an army of end time prophetic, mercy missionaries, mobilized in the spirit of night and day prayer, releasing great demonstrations of power, reaching the harvest in crisis and rebuilding cities on the Kingdom of God.”
Crisis Response International (CRI) is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization that resources, trains and mobilizes volunteers, churches and other organizations to respond to disasters and other compassion initiatives in the United States and world-wide. CRI is creating a culture of responders to reach the harvest in crisis in our immediate neighborhoods through local outreach and home groups and through national and international deployments.
CRI provides a model and framework for responding to disaster situations and delivering resources to areas that would otherwise be off-limits to volunteers. Our procedures and training avoid what the government calls “the second disaster”, when spontaneous resources and untrained volunteers arrive on scene.
CRI is a disaster relief organization that integrates into local, state and federal response efforts through our relationships with both community, state and federal level volunteer organizations active in disaster. In the event of a disaster, CRI can assimilate into the Incident Command System (ICS) according to the National Incident Management System (NIMS).
Working from an established field command post alongside other various organizations, CRI manages operations, resources and personnel to carry out various tasks and services. Operations vary upon the size and scope of the disaster. CRI not only focuses on training and equipping volunteers for disaster situations, but it also conducts on-going efforts to help lower-income communities around the world.
What sets CRI apart?
Our vision is to train an army of end-time, prophetic, mercy missionaries, mobilized in the spirit of night and day prayer, to release great demonstrations of power, reach the harvest in crisis and rebuild cities on the Kingdom of God.
It seems now that every storm or disaster is now the “worst ever”. Even secular institutions and organizations recognize this and are training people to respond. For far too long there has been a deference of the church’s responsibility to government or semi-secular agencies. Should not the sons and daughters of the Kingdom be the brightest light in the future? Should we not be the ones to provide the answers and solutions to the darkest times and situations that are coming upon us?
The person who stands up in the midst of crisis with the answer is the leader. There is crisis coming. The days ahead will be some of the darkest in history but yet the greatest when the church arises. As cities shake, we long to reach the harvest in crisis.
The primary focus of churches and ministries is typically not geared toward disaster relief. If there is a branch dedicated to this, it is normally restricted in scope due to lack of training and certification or is limited in influence by laws governing the separation of church and state. In most crisis situations or major catastrophes, many feel bewildered and wish they could truly help.
CRI exists in order to get people involved in crisis situations and to quickly mobilize Crisis Response Units to collaborate efforts with federal, state and local authorities.
First response agencies like police, fire and EMS are typically not equipped and staffed to handle major disasters. They may not be able to respond quickly to the immediate needs of victims due to communication, access or power failure. Government agencies such as FEMA recognize volunteer organizations active in disaster relief as long as they are properly trained and networked with National Volunteer Organization Active in Disaster (NVOAD). CRI can quickly assimilate into the National Incident Management System and follow procedures for the Incident Command System (ICS), which is a prerequisite for all levels of emergency management and response professional or volunteer.
In most situations, churches and ministries act as collection points for needed resources and volunteers. However, this can become what disaster service workers call “the second disaster” as funds and resources get mishandled or spontaneously brought on scene only to make more work for already overloaded volunteers. CRI provides a framework for values and resources to come into influence to otherwise off-limits areas. Crisis Response International focuses on creating teams of well-trained and prepared individuals to react to these situations and bring hope into desperate situations.