[1]ALPHARETTA, Ga. (BP)–More than 70 Southern Baptist disaster relief units from 11 states had been activated as of midafternoon Aug. 16 to assist with cleanup and recovery efforts in southwest Florida in the wake of Hurricane Charley, the strongest storm to hit the U.S. mainland in more than a decade.
Mickey Caison, manager of the Disaster Operations Center at the North American Mission Board, said that about 80 additional chainsaw/recovery units could be activated as early as today, the fourth day of response following the devastating hurricane which is responsible for 17 confirmed deaths and billions of dollars in property damage.
“A lot of chainsaw units are ready to roll,” Caison said. “We’ve just got to build the logistics to support them before we move them out.”
More than 5,000 meals had been prepared by Southern Baptist disaster relief volunteers as of Aug. 15. Caison said the American Red Cross which distributes the meals had been hampered early on in transporting food to victims because of the massive storm damage.
“While our kitchens are out there cooking, we’ve not been able to disperse the food widely at this point,” he said.
Caison said a total of 175 Southern Baptist disaster relief units could be activated in response to Hurricane Charley over the next several weeks.
[2]“We’re talking months for recovery and long-term rebuilding for years,” Caison said. “It’s Hurricane Andrew-type damage that they’re seeing.” Hurricane Andrew ravaged south Florida in 1992 resulting in billions of dollars of damage.
Caison said this time, however, Southern Baptists are better equipped and prepared to help the victims of Hurricane Charley than they were 12 years ago.
“During Hurricane Andrew we probably did not have but about 60 disaster relief units in the whole fleet in the United States, and now we’ve got 498,” Caison said.
Meanwhile, the number of trained Southern Baptist disaster relief volunteers has grown from 3,000 during Hurricane Andrew to a nationwide network of 28,500 Southern Baptist volunteers.
The units generally are owned and operated by state conventions, local associations and churches and are coordinated nationally by the North American Mission Board.
The latest information about where Southern Baptist disaster relief units have been activated follows:
— The Tennessee Baptist Convention has activated two kitchen units, one shower unit, one communication unit, three chainsaw/recovery units and one command center unit, all stationed at McGregor Baptist Church, Ft. Myers, Fla.
— The Mississippi Baptist Convention has activated one kitchen unit for First Baptist Church, Arcadia, Fla.
— The Alabama Baptist State Convention has activated one kitchen unit, one shower unit, one communication unit and four chainsaw/recovery units for First Baptist Church, Arcadia, Fla., as well as two kitchen units and one chainsaw/recovery unit for Lake Wales Baptist Church, Lake Wales, Fla.
— The Florida Baptist Convention has activated two kitchen units, seven chainsaw units, and one communication/command unit for South Biscayne Baptist Church, North Port, Fla. -– the Incident Command Post for the southern response.
— The Georgia Baptist Convention has activated two kitchen units, three chainsaw/recovery units, one communication unit and one shower unit for First Baptist Church, Wauchula, Fla., as well as a shower unit for Lake Wales Baptist Church, Lake Wales, Fla.
— The South Carolina Baptist Convention has activated three chainsaw/recovery units for Lake Wales Baptist Church, Lake Wales, Fla., as well as one shower unit for First Baptist Church, Poinciana, Fla.
— The Louisiana Baptist Convention has activated one kitchen unit for First Baptist Church, Poinciana, Fla.
— Texas Baptist Men have activated a command unit for the Incident Command Post for the northern response headquartered at the Greater Orlando Baptist Associational Office.
— The Baptist State Convention of North Carolina has activated two shower units, one laundry unit and a generator for the Teako Arena in Estero, Fla.
— NAMB has activated two shower units for South Biscayne Baptist Church, Northport, Fla.
The following state conventions remain on standby for activation: Kentucky, Maryland/Delaware, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania/South Jersey, Virginia, Arkansas, Iowa, Illinois and Indiana.
Contributions to offset direct costs of the response may be sent to state conventions, associations or churches responding to the effort or to the North American Mission Board. NAMB contributions may be made online at www.namb.net/disasterrelief or mailed to 4200 North Point Parkway, Alpharetta, GA 30022.
For regular updates on Southern Baptist Disaster Relief efforts, visit www.namb.net/dr.
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