Disaster Preparedness/Response

Our office offers education, planning, guidance, and oversight of Catholic Social Services’ disaster preparedness and response programs in the Archdiocese of Mobile.

Current Preparedness Efforts:

· Developing a disaster preparedness action plan, and incident management system that can be implemented in order for Catholic Social Services of Mobile, the Service Center, and the Archdiocese to continue to provide services to the community and respond effectively during a disaster.

· Matthew 25 Parish Ministry is a parish based disaster preparedness and response ministry designed to bridge the natural bonds between Catholic Social Services and the needs of the community and Archdiocese.

· Volunteer Disaster Case Management Response program, to train a cadre of volunteers who can deploy following a disaster to support the disaster recovery phase and implement the post disaster rebuilding process. If you are interested in being a volunteer please contact the Disaster Service’s Manager at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

· Catholic Social Services is a member of the Mobile County Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters (VOAD) The Mobile County VOAD seeks to ensure the availability of needed resources and services and to encourage uniform, impartial provision of these resources and services, prior to and post disaster. Mobile County VOAD is established as a network for organizations who desire to work together to reduce the effects of disasters and promote the rebuilding of lives and communities after disasters.

o John Wilson the Disaster Services Manager serves as its President and as Vice-President of Alabama VOAD the state organization.

Current Response Efforts:

· Disaster Services is providing support for the recovery and response from the Spring 2011 Alabama Tornadoes. We provide training, logistics, donations, and recovery resources for families impacted by the tornadoes. We are collaborating with Catholic Social Services of West Alabama in Tuscaloosa, and Catholic Social Services of the Diocese of Birmingham, to support their recovery and response efforts.

· This Fall John Wilson, the Disaster Services Manager, served as a National Team Coordinator, leading a team of disaster professionals for Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA) and the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) on deployment to Albany, New York, to establish a disaster case management program for survivors of Hurricane Irene.

· Disaster Services continues to monitor the response efforts following the BP Oil Spill of 2010.

For more information in Mobile County, contact John Wilson, Director of Disaster Management at

(251) 434-1550 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .