Hurricane Isabel prompts record deployment of Disaster Relief workers
Florida volunteers head north
Published: September 25, 2003
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (BP)–Florida Disaster Relief volunteers joined hundreds of workers deployed Sept. 20-21 to North Carolina, Virginia, Washington D.C. and Maryland – already the largest response in the history of Southern Baptist Disaster Relief, according to Mickey Caison, adult volunteer mobilization manager for the North American Mission Board.
As of midday Sept. 22, Southern Baptists had deployed 74 units or volunteer teams from 19 states – including 20 mobile kitchens, 40 chainsaw-wielding cleanup and recovery units, 13 trailer-mounted shower units, three communications units and one laundry unit. Additional units are on standby status.
"During 9/11 (the response to the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, D.C.) we probably used more state conventions and resources, but it was over a nine-month period," Caison said. "We have as much involved with the first three days of this as with all of 9/11."
While the loss of life and property damage were not as great as in several previous storms, Caison said the response is large because of the size of the storm and the densely populated areas affected.
He estimated 50,000 meals had been prepared as of Sunday. But with many more units being deployed early this week and production of existing units growing, that number was expected to increase rapidly.
A tractor-trailor utilized as a self-contained feeding unit from Lake Yale arrived in Washington, D.C., Sept. 21 to begin preparing 14,000 meals a day for those most affected, according to the Florida Baptist Men’s Department of the Florida Baptist Convention.
Volunteers from Florida Baptist Associations—Marion, St. John’s River and Greater Orlando—joined the initial effort, a spokesperson from the Convention told the Witness, while another clean-up/chainsaw crew from Florida was waiting Sept. 22 to deploy to Norfolk, Va.
The storm brought some flooding in coastal areas and in the northern states, but the bulk of the damage was from downed trees – and the subsequent loss of power that still affected 1.8 million people as of Sunday, according to news reports.
Southern Baptist Disaster relief efforts consequently were focused on either clearing fallen trees of residents like Schlauch or preparing meals for those without power at home.
The routine at each of the locations was much the same as volunteers quickly set up mobile kitchens, often supported by shower, cleanup and communications units – which have amateur (ham) radios and other equipment. The American Red Cross and The Salvation Army distribute most of the food, while many units also offer feeding lines for residents who come to the site – which is usually a local church.
The scope of the deployment also is an indicator of how much the Southern Baptist Disaster Relief network has grown over the past decade to nearly 400 units and 28,000 trained volunteers. There is often a surge in new units after each major disaster.
In North Carolina, where the storm hit first, two kitchen units from the state are preparing meals for the American Red Cross at Memorial Baptist Church in Williamston and Corinth Baptist Church in Elizabeth City. A unit from Hardeman, Tenn., was scheduled to begin cooking Sept. 22 at First Baptist Church of New Bern.
North Carolina kitchen and shower units are serving in support of The Salvation Army at Memorial Baptist Church in Greenville, and another shower unit has been set up in Swanquarter, N.C., to provide showers for recovery workers and the community.
A number of North Carolina recovery units also are working in nine towns in the affected area.
In Virginia, mobile kitchens are supporting the Red Cross in Newport News, Chesapeake, Hopewell, Gloucester and Virginia Beach. The units come from Virginia, South Carolina, Kentucky, Georgia and Tennessee, respectively. Additional mobile kitchens from Georgia and Mississippi were scheduled to begin serving Sept. 22 in Kilmarnock and Richmond, respectively. Mobile shower trailers activated in Virginia include units from both Virginia state conventions, as well as Tennessee, Alabama, South Carolina, and Georgia.
Recovery units are serving in Chesapeake, Gloucester, Hopewell, Virginia Beach, and Newport News.
In Maryland, both Maryland/ Delaware kitchen units are serving in support of the American Red Cross at the Middle River Baptist Church in Middle River, Md. A Mississippi team has been activated and was traveling Sept. 22 to assist the units with volunteers. New York and Michigan units have been activated for Chestertown and Prince Frederick, respectively.
Contributions for the Hurricane Isabel response may be sent to state convention offices or to the North American Mission Board, 4200 North Point Parkway, Alpharetta, Ga., 30022. For hurricane info, go to www.NAMB.net
[Additional reporting by Florida Baptist Witness.]
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