Emergency Response Coordination Program
The Emergency Response Coordination Program helps Knights of Columbus councils in the Diocese of Fort Worth strengthen preparedness before disasters occur and support an organized, charitable response when emergencies affect our brothers, families, councils, and Catholic communities. This work emphasizes planning, education, communication, and readiness — and, at the diocesan level, coordination, situational reporting, and facilitation of assistance through the proper Knights of Columbus channels.
“Our role is to support preparedness, communication, coordination, and assistance before and after disasters.”
Guidance and assistance, before and after disaster
The mission of the Emergency Response Coordination Program is to provide guidance and assistance to our brothers and councils before and after disasters. This mission is carried out by helping councils improve preparedness, understand reporting procedures, maintain communication networks, assess impacts, and connect affected persons and councils with appropriate support resources.
- Improve council-level preparedness
- Maintain diocesan-wide communication networks
- Assess impacts and connect affected persons to support
Serving councils across the diocese
The Emergency Response Coordination Program serves Knights of Columbus councils throughout the Diocese of Fort Worth by helping them prepare for emergencies and by supporting an orderly communication and assistance process when disasters occur. Its work supports brothers, widows, families, councils, and related Catholic communities that may be affected by local crises or larger disasters.
Preparedness before, coordination after
The program promotes a practical approach to disaster readiness by encouraging councils to think ahead, plan ahead, and understand how they will communicate and respond before an incident occurs. After an event, the diocesan role is to help determine who has been affected, gather reliable information, communicate needs through the proper structure, and facilitate appropriate assistance.
Preparedness & Education
Encouraging preparedness planning and education at the council level.
Communication Plans
Supporting council communication plans and designated emergency points of contact.
Situational Reporting
Collecting and relaying situational information on affected brothers, widows, families, and councils.
Needs Coordination
Coordinating information on needs, available resources, and appropriate assistance options.
Charitable Referral
Connecting councils or affected persons with charitable or organizational support channels when needed.
Preparedness and Planning
The Supreme program makes clear that disaster preparedness begins with planning and education before disaster strikes. For councils, that means developing communication plans, understanding the disaster chain of command, identifying likely needs within the parish community, maintaining current contact information, and promoting awareness of practical preparedness measures.
At the diocesan level, the program supports this effort by helping councils understand their responsibilities, develop continuity in reporting, and remain connected to regional and state structures. Preparation also includes thinking through realistic capabilities, budget considerations, and relationships with organizations that may play a role in relief and recovery support.
Coordination, Not Improvisation
When a disaster occurs, communities often need clear information before they can receive effective help. The diocesan Emergency Response Coordination Program supports that need by helping identify who has been affected, documenting impacts and unmet needs, communicating with the Regional ERC and diocesan leadership, and helping organize assistance according to the actual scope of the event.
The emphasis is on coordination rather than improvisation. Assistance may involve communication support, documentation, referral to charitable partners, and facilitation of aid such as grants, gift cards, meals, supplies, or other approved forms of help through the appropriate Knights of Columbus process.
How councils strengthen the program
Councils participate most effectively in this program by preparing in advance and maintaining reliable lines of communication. That includes naming a local point of contact, maintaining officer and member contact lists, understanding how to report an incident, and staying familiar with diocesan, state, and Supreme disaster-preparedness guidance.
Maintain current officer and key contact information.
Establish or update a communication plan or phone tree.
Identify a local Emergency Response Coordinator or council emergency point of contact.
Understand how to report damages, impacts, and urgent needs through the proper channels.
Support awareness, planning, and appropriate charitable preparedness activities at the local level.
Not a first-responder organization
The diocesan Emergency Response Coordination Program is not a first-responder organization. Its role is to guide, coordinate, facilitate, and communicate so that councils and diocesan leadership can respond prudently, charitably, and in an organized way consistent with actual needs and conditions.
That distinction is important because rushed or poorly coordinated action can create confusion or even add burdens during a crisis. Any support activity should therefore be informed by safety, timing, actual need, and coordination with the proper Knights of Columbus and partner channels.
We coordinate preparedness, communication, and assistance — we do not dispatch members into hazardous conditions.
Timely, accurate communication saves time
When an emergency affects brothers, families, councils, or parish communities, councils should communicate through the established diocesan emergency-response structure so that conditions can be assessed, needs documented, and assistance coordinated appropriately. Good information supports good decisions — clear reporting, proper documentation, and early coordination help diocesan and state leadership determine what support is needed and how best to provide it.
[Insert diocesan ERC phone number]
[Insert diocesan ERC email address]
Report first to your council’s designated ERC
Council → Diocesan ERC → Regional ERC