Trainings & Deployments From: LCMS Disaster Response & Training

Our LERT volunteers are invited by Trinity Lutheran Church in Trinity, FL, to attend a first aid, AED, CPR, and Stop-the-bleed training. We will meet at Trinity Lutheran Church, 3100 Starkey Blvd, Trinity, FL, at Noon EST on August 1, 2026. The training will conclude by 3:00 pm. Doors will open at 11:30 for pre-registration and a light lunch will be provided. Donations will be accepted to help pay for the food and course instructor.

This is a NON CERTIFIED class!

Contact Mark Trivilino if you have any questions.

Cell: 913-209-9324

Volunteers are needed to fell, limb and buck 3 large dead trees. One of the trees is in danger of falling across a county road and an electric line. We will use rigging and a skid steer to remove these trees. Both the skid steer and dump trailer will be brought to the site.

We will meet at Immanuel to load equipment and then drive to the site just south of Troy, Mo.

All LERT chainsaw operators are required to wear appropriate PPE. All LERT volunteers are encouraged to wear yellow LERT shirts or vests, work boots, work gloves and hard hats.

Water and Gatorade will be provided.

Any questions, contact Kris Schuldt 314-971-5747.

A Basic LERT Training class will be held at the Trinity Lutheran Church, 105 Luther Way, Dothan, AL 36301, on Saturday, August 1, 2026.

Participants will be introduced to the LCMS Disaster Response program and will learn about the basic nature of disasters and how Christians can support church workers, families, congregations and the general public as the hands and feet of Jesus during these trying times. Other class topics include response and deployment protocol in times of disasters, a ministry of presence, and safety practices.

Class registration must be made at www.LCMS-LERT.org. Participants are urged to pre-register before July 24th, so we have the proper materials for everyone. A registration fee of $30 per person will cover the cost of training and materials. Please bring your check along to the training. Checks should be made out to Trinity Lutheran Church and noted "LERT Training August 1st" on the check.

If you have questions, please contact Rev. Paul Ernewein, the LERT trainer for the event, at giveblood2@gmail.com.

All interested participants are welcome to attend the LERT training; however, only LCMS members aged 14 or older are eligible to receive a certificate of completion as LCMS LERT volunteers. All LERT materials will be distributed during the class. You will receive your certificate of participation, volunteer ID card, and T-shirt after the training is complete.  Your LERT Trainer will distribute all materials. Please arrive by 9:30 a.m. to complete registration and sign in. The training should finish by 2. Lunch will be provided.

What will we study? These are the main topics of the training:

1) Christian Care in times of disaster

2) A Ministry of Presence

3) Lutheran Early Response Teams and How They Function

4) Utilizing the LERT Website

5) Safety Protocol

6) Congregation Preparedness and Mercy Teams

Description: Local LERT members will team up with Orphan Grain Train to reconstruct pasture fences destroyed in the Spring 2026 fires. The ranch site is near Hyannis, Neb. This is an opportunity to help ranchers who lost many miles of fences in the fires. All tools and materials will be provided by OGT, however you may bring your favorite fencing pliers and leather gloves. LERT members should bring pillows, sleeping bags, and towels; OGT will provide water. Work clothes should be appropriate for the season and work.  

Note, communications are difficult in the area of work as there is no phone service.  

The plan is to leave Orphan Grain Train facility, 601 W. Phillip Avenue, Norfolk, NE at 7:00 AM, Tuesday, August 4th and return Friday afternoon, August 7th. The drive from Norfolk to Hyannis is approximately 260 miles, so the crew will only make the trip once during the week, unless a team member drives on their own.

Consider joining the LCMS Basic LERT (Lutheran Early Response Team) Volunteer Training led by Pastor Sean Chapman, Atlantic District Disaster Response Coordinator. (DDRC). 

Federal guidelines recommend that disaster-response volunteers receive appropriate training before serving in affected communities. This training equips participants to respond safely, effectively, and compassionately when disasters impact churches and communities.

The Basic LERT training focuses on the safety, work, and ministry of Lutherans serving as Early Responders. It is part of the LCMS Synod-wide disaster response program, supported by a national network of District Disaster Response Coordinators and Response Teams. Upon completion of the training, LCMS participants fourteen years and older will receive a certificate, LERT identification badge, and aLERT T-shirt.

In the midst of disaster, it is essential to remain focused on what matters most. At the heart of LERT volunteer training is one central principle: mercy. Christ’s mercy guides everything we say and do as we serve those affected by crisis. This training will help equip you to be an effective and compassionate volunteer, whether responding within your own community or deploying to another disaster site.

Following a brief introduction to the goals and theological foundation of LCMS Disaster Response, the training will cover:

Location: Our Savior Lutheran Church

We encourage all LCMS members who are 15 or older and are interested in serving others through disaster response ministry to attend.

This training will be hosted by Our Savior Lutheran Church.

Location:

Our Savior Lutheran Church

63 Mountain View Ave.

Albany, NY 12205

LERT volunteers are needed for multiple tasks at Saxon Lutheran Memorial. We will fell and remove 2 dead trees and approximately 40+ widow makers. We will have a lift available for this work. Chainsaw operators are required to wear all required PPE. Two volunteers with experience will dig a trench with a trencher to place a new buried electric line to the old Carpentry shop, and will place new LED lighting.

Another group will be moving old logs and lumber as well as cutting out the deteriorated portions of the old logs. We hope to bring our skid steer to help with this task.

LERT volunteers are also needed to do finish work in the last few bathrooms in the new bathroom building. Volunteers will need to bring their own carpentry tools for this work.

All volunteers are encouraged to wear yellow LERT shirts or vests. NOTE: we welcome all volunteers to attend this deployment even if you don't have the skills necessary to do the above work. We will mentor you. Please consider signing up for the entire week or just for one or two days. All are welcome.

Housing is available in the newly restored cabin across from the new bathroom house. It has 4 rooms and is airconditioned. There are 2 beds in one of the rooms (first come first served). Or you could bring a cot or air mattress. Bathrooms and showers are near the cabin. Volunteers will need to bring all of their own bedding and towels etc. There are RV spots in nearby Altenburg and near Perryville. Please contact Kris Schuldt if you need housing. pitchatent@centurytel.net.

All meals, water and Gatorade will be provided.

Lutheran Church Charities has been invited by the Atlantic District to provide LERT Basic & Intermediate Chainsaw training on August 7th-8th  in Albany, NY. This chainsaw training increases our dedicated LERT volunteers’ capabilities and gives them the capacity to extend mercy from the congregation to those who lack the means or skills to perform this dangerous work in their communities.

You must have previously completed the LERT Basic training class to participate in this class.

During the training, you will learn the following:

To be authorized as a LCMS LERT Chainsaw operator or dragger, volunteers must attend both the classroom and hands-on training/workday.

 Volunteers will need to bring the following if they have:

BASIC & INTERMEDIATE CHAINSAW TRAINING & WORKDAY SCHEDULE
 
Friday, August 7, Classroom   
5:00 – 5:30 pm  Check-in/Registration
5:30 – 9:30 pm  Basic Chainsaw Safety Training
 
Saturday, August 8, Hands-on Training & Workday
8:00 - 8:15 am    Check-in/Registration 
8:15 - 4:00 pm    Hands-on Chainsaw Training & Workday

Location: 

Our Savior Lutheran Church
63 Mountain View Ave.
Albany, NY 12205

**Attendees will travel to a site in Fuera Bush, NY, for Hands-on Training & Workday.

Cost: There is a $35.00 fee for those taking Chainsaw Training.

Our Savior Lutheran Church will provide dinner on Friday and lunch on Saturday.  

LERT volunteers are needed to remove 2 downed trees near a bridge. The downed trees are causing partial flooding issues. This work will require rigging and a pulley to remove the trees. We will also bring our dump trailer and skid steer. We will need to limb and buck both trees after they are pulled from the creek area.

All LERT chainsaw operators are required to wear appropriate PPE. All LERT volunteers are encouraged to wear yellow LERT shirts or vests along with Sturdy work boots, work gloves and a hard hat.

Water and Gatorade will be provided.

We will meet at Immanuel to load equipment before driving to the location in Wentzville.

Any questions, please contact Kris Schuldt 314-971-5747.

Working on a disaster involves risk of injury – cuts, punctures, sprains, broken bones, even heart attacks. Chainsaw work, in particular, has the potential of causing severe or life-threatening injuries. Learn how to provide emergency treatment of injuries in the field before medical treatment can be obtained. Florida-Georgia Lutheran Early Response (FGLER) is providing a one-day First Aid for Disaster Volunteers class at Abiding Savior Lutheran Church & School, 9700 W. Newberry Road, Gainesville, FL on Saturday, August 15, 2026, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Certified Training will include:

·      Basic First Aid – American Heart Association First Aid

·      CPR/AED – American Heart Association certification.

·      Stop The Bleed® – FEMA course on stopping severe trauma bleeding.

This training will be a mixture of presentation and hands-on. Students will learn how to assess the ABCs of a medical emergency, how to properly provide quick emergency first aid to an injured person, perform CPR, use an automatic electronic defibrillator (AED), and to stop severe blood loss through using a tourniquet and pressure bandages.

Who May Attend:

·         Anyone age 14 or older

·      LERT Chainsaw Operators

·      LERT Volunteers

·      Team Safety Officers

·      Team Leaders

·      School Teachers and Staff

·      Pastors

·      Church Elders and Ushers

·      Church Members

While the class is geared towards disaster response, being aLERT Volunteer is not a requirement.

Registration and Other Important Information:

·      Registration is limited to 20 people. 

·      Walk-ins will be allowed, provided the class is not full.

·      Pre-registration must be completed online at www.lcms-org. 

·      Deadline for registration is August 14.

·      A registration of $75 helps cover the cost of lunch, training materials, and certification.

·      Payment for the class may be made at the training by cash, credit card, or check (make checks payable to “Daniel Schmitt”.

·      Check-in begins at 8:30 a.m., with class starting at 9:00 a.m.

·      Questions regarding the training may be directed to Daniel Schmitt, at dangator1@gmail.com, or (352) 514-2371. 

Join us Saturday, AUGUST 22nd, from 12:30–2:30 pm for a General Cleanup of the homeless encampment located at the Pig's Eye Regional Park, East St. Paul, MN.  LERT trained and non-trained volunteers are welcome - 18 years and older.   No background check is necessary.

We will be serving a great feast, picking up garbage, distributing relief supplies, etc., all the while having opportunity to be Christ's presence among a population in great need of mercy.

Carpooling is advisable as parking is limited at the 1200 Warner Rd., St. Paul, (at the intersection with Fishhatchery Rd) address. 

Dress appropriately for the work and the weather.  If you have either a LERT T-shirt or work vest, please bring them along to wear.  We will have some available for those who don't have them.

PLEASE DO REGISTER or email fysherofmen@gmail.com with your group numbers!  We need to be prepared for the actual numbers that are coming!  Thank you for your consideration!

We discuss the Ministry of Presence in our basic LERT Training, but many of us still wonder how to apply it with confidence, recognize when someone needs additional support, or help connect them with a higher level of care.

Join us for this valuable training opportunity as we partner with Lutheran Church Charities to strengthen our skills in providing compassionate care and responding effectively to people in times of need.

We encounter people who are hurting every day—not just in the aftermath of a disaster, but also in our congregations, neighborhoods, and communities. With that in mind, this training is open to everyone, not just LERT volunteers. We encourage you to invite members of your congregation to attend. Information about the training is also being shared with all congregations throughout Indiana.

Registration is through the QR code on the attached flyer $25/person registration fee ($129 value). You must attend both days to earn SFA certification. 

Hotel room block - Sleep Inn Fort Dodge (mention IDW Outreach, rooms $85/night)

Light dinner Friday, lunch Saturday, snacks and beverages provided

(If we outgrow the IDW space, we have an alternate location in Fort Dodge. Updates will be made as registrations roll in.) 

Please complete this process only if you intend to volunteer for an upcoming LERT deployment.

If you would like to procure your LERT background check (or need to renew an expired LERT background check) so that you are prepared to respond to future LERT Deployments, please use this event to do so.

As you try to sign up for this event, you will be redirected to the Sterling Volunteers site to enter your information. LCMS Disaster Training covers the cost of LERT background checks. It is made available to you at no cost.

Please note that the background check is good for one (1) year and must be renewed annually if you wish to keep current.

LERT Background Checks are required for all LERT Deployments in which the following activities/conditions are taking place:

You can read our blog post about background checks here: Why Background Checks? | LCMS Disaster Response (lcms-lert.org)

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If you have questions regarding your background check, LERT volunteers should contact Sterling Volunteers at:

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Please consider attending LCMS LERT (Lutheran Early Response Team) volunteer training offered by Lutheran Church Charities. This training will prepare LERT team members for credentialing and will focus on the safety, work, and ministry of Lutherans as Early Responders. This training is part of a Synod-wide disaster response program, facilitated by a national network of District Disaster Response Coordinators and Teams. After the training, you will receive a certificate, ID badge, and a T-shirt.

In the chaos of disaster, it's important to stay focused on the task at hand.  This training will help you focus on the most important thing to remember as you prepare for or respond to a disaster in your community or beyond.  At the center of our LERT Volunteer training is one thing:  MERCY!  Christ's mercy is the basis for everything we say and do.  This training event will equip you to be an effective volunteer should a disaster strike your community.  After a brief introduction regarding the goals and theological rationale of LCM Disaster Response, the LERT volunteer training will address the following:  

 This training will be hosted by CUC Deaconess Studies and held in Krentz Hall - Rm. 120. Parking for Krentz Hall will be in Visitor Lot 3 on Augusta St.

The Kansas District will provide Lutheran Early Response Team (LERT) Basic Chainsaw training on Saturday, September, 19 2026. The chainsaw training serves to increase our dedicated LERT volunteer’s capabilities to help those who haven’t the means or skills to perform this dangerous work following a disaster. The district wants to equip LERT members with the ability to provide this service safely and efficiently.

You must have previously completed the LERT basic training class to participate in this class.

Location: 603 N. 8th Street, Atchison, KS, Classroom, fieldwork and lunch will all be onsite on the Church Campus.

During the training, you will learn the following:  

The morning session is classroom lecture on chainsaw safety. All LERT qualified volunteers are invited to attend.

The afternoon session is operations hands-on with a saw. The morning session must be attended to participate.

Please indicate if your intent is to train as a chainsaw operator/puller (safety and operations portion of the class) or only as a dragger (safety portion of class).

To be authorized to use a chainsaw on LERT disaster responses as an LCMS LERT Chainsaw Operator, you must attend BOTH the safety (morning) and operations & fieldwork (afternoon) sessions.

Afternoon hands-on participants should bring, if they have:

Training Costs: 

Snacks, drinks, and lunch will be provided.

Please contact Jason Burgess, (580) 658-0994, Brian Mead, (859)576-1892 or DDRC Donna Williams (316)641-0332 ksddrc@gmail.com for further information if needed.

A Basic LERT Training class will be held at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, 4605 Cypress Ave, Wichita Falls, Tx on Saturday, September 19 beginning at noon.

Participants will be introduced to the LCMS Disaster Response program and will learn about the basic nature of disasters and how Christians can support church workers, families, congregations and the general public as the hands and feet of Jesus during trying times.  Other class topics include response and deployment protocol in times of disasters, a ministry of presence, and safety practices.

Class registration must be made at www.lcms-lert.org.  Participants are urged to pre-register before September 5, so we have the proper materials for everyone. A registration fee of $20 per person will cover the cost of training materials, tee shirt and lunch. Please bring your check or cash to the training. Contact the site coordinator, Nancy Opheim, if you encounter any difficulties registering.

If you have any questions about the class content, contact Don Kelle, the LERT trainer for the event  at okddrc@gmail.com.

All interested participants are welcome to attend the LERT training, however, only LCMS members 14 or older are eligible to receive a certificate of completion as LERT volunteers.  All LERT materials will be distributed during the class. You will receive your certificate of participation, volunteer ID card, and T-shirt after the training is complete.

Please arrive by noon for lunch and registration.  The class will begin at 1:00pm and should finish by 4:30.

What will we study?  These are the main topics of the training:

1)  Christian Care in times of disaster

2)  A Ministry of Presence

3)  Lutheran Early Response Teams and How They function

4)  Utilizing the LERT Website

5)  Safety Protocol

6)  Congregational Preparedness and Mercy Teams.

A Basic LERT Training class will be held on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026 from 8:30 am to 1:00 pm. at Christ Lutheran Church, 11720 Nieman Rd, Overland Park, KS 66210.  Participants will be introduced to the LCMS Disaster Response program, learn the basic nature of disasters, the opportunities to respond to personal needs, and how Lutherans can support families, congregations, and the public as we demonstrate the love and mercy of Christ through the actions of our hands and feet.

Please pre-register on the LCMS-LERT website (https://www.lcms-lert.org) prior to 09-11-2026 so we may have the proper amount of materials for everyone. It will be necessary to create aLERT profile on the website. A limited number of walk-in registrations are available on the day of the event. Class participants should arrive by 8:15 am to complete registration before class begins.

A registration fee of $35 will cover all training materials (2025), a certificate/ID card, aLERT Volunteer t-shirt, and lunch. Checks are payable to Christ Lutheran Church and on the memo line "LERT Training 9/26/2026".  You may mail it to the church or pay on the day of the class.   All interested participants are welcome to attend the LERT Training session.  However, only LCMS members 16 years or older will receive the LERT ID and certificate. You will receive your certificate of participation, volunteer ID card, and T-shirt from LCMS Disaster Response after the training is complete. IMPORTANT: If you are considering taking our LERT Basic Chainsaw course, this class is a required prerequisite. 

LERT volunteer training will address the following:  

- Christian care in times of disaster

- A Ministry of Presence

- The LERT Program and how it works with other responders

- Introduction to Disaster Response

- Service Opportunities after a Disaster & Safety Protocol

Table discussion will take place during lunch served immediately following formal instruction time. 

Where? Christ Lutheran Church, 11720 Nieman Rd, Overland Park, KS

Time: 8:30 am - 1:00 pm (includes lunch). Please enter through the school entrance off the parking lot.

Registration: $35 (lcms-lert.org)

Facilitators: David Ingwersen (Bethany, OP) & Bob Lowe (King of Kings, Gardner)

Christ Lutheran on-site Contact: Eric Brunkow, ebrunkow88@gmail.com