VIENNA — The American Red Cross held a shelter training course Nov. 5 at First Baptist Church in Vienna to prepare the 10 attendees how to respond in the case of an emergency.

If a disaster were to affect Vienna, the church would be the designated shelter location. John Dungan, community disaster program specialist, led the course overviewing what a shelter is and how to operate it during a disaster.

Melissa Wilding, community disaster program manager, said that if a disaster damaged homes excessively, people could stay at the shelter. The shelter would also serve as an information hub, even for those who don’t need a place to stay.

Because it may take time for the Red Cross to arrive, especially if roads are blocked, training local individuals in “the Red Cross way” can provide quicker responses.

“It’s important for local people from a community to know and understand disasters, how to respond to them, especially when it comes to providing that immediate need,” Wilding said.

During the course, Dungan said that the Red Cross can provide services because 90 percent of its workers are volunteers. He also said that services are available to anyone who needs them. Furthermore, many people who don’t attend church every Sunday still have a lot of needs, and he said the volunteers can share Jesus’ love to those people.

“You are the face of the community,” he said. “They might be surprised to come and find somebody loves them.”

Wilding said that in the case of a disaster, an emergency management agency and first responders will share information on what to do and where to go. Information is often shared over the radio and on social media. She encourages following the Maries County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page to receive official information quickly.