ALPHARETTA, Ga. (BP)–Southern Baptist Disaster Relief units from seven states were deployed Sept. 19 to Virginia, North Carolina and Maryland to lead in the cleanup and recovery efforts from the destruction left by Hurricane Isabel.
At least 17 deaths in seven states have been attributed to the storm which also left behind more than 4.5 million customers without power.
Disaster Relief teams from South Carolina, Kentucky and Georgia have activated kitchen units and recovery teams to serve throughout eastern Virginia, based in Norfolk, Chesapeake, Petersburg and Gloucester. A kitchen unit from Virginia also has been activated in-state for neighboring Newport News.
North Carolina has activated three kitchen units and recovery teams for service in the eastern part of the state in Greenville, Elizabeth City and Williamston.
And a Maryland/Delaware kitchen unit and recovery team has been activated for Middle River, Md. Another in-state kitchen unit was closed after serving breakfast Sept.19 at the American Red Cross shelter set up in the Salisbury, Md., civic center.
Mickey Caison, national Disaster Relief coordinator for the North American Mission Board (NAMB), said Baptist state conventions in Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland/Delaware, New York, Tennessee, Kentucky, Pennsylvania/New Jersey and Ohio remain on standby for activation of other disaster relief units if necessary, including feeding, recovery, communication and shower units.
Caison said potential problems with flooding still exist in New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia and may require additional deployments.
Southern Baptist Disaster Relief entails a partnership between NAMB and state Baptist conventions to enlist, train and activate volunteers. The state conventions deploy volunteers across state lines in cooperation and coordination with NAMB.
Contributions for national Southern Baptist Disaster Relief responses may be sent to the North American Mission Board at 4200 North Point Parkway, Alpharetta, GA 30022 or to a state Baptist convention.
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(BP) photos posted in the BP Photo Library at http://www.bpnews.net. Photo titles: ISABEL’S REACH and INLAND DAMAGE.
