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Southern Baptist Disaster Relief
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
Purpose:
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To provide physical, emotional, and spiritual help to victims of natural and man-made disasters, including floods, earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, fires, and terrorist attacks, in North America and overseas. |
Affiliation:
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Southern Baptist Disaster Relief is a partnership ministry of the state Baptist conventions and the North American Mission Board, Southern Baptist Convention. |
Resources:
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Approximately 1,500 mobile units (feeding, chainsaw, mud-out, command, communication, child care, shower, laundry, water purification, repair/rebuild, generators, and others) To see 2008 Fleet Report, click here.
More than 80,000 trained volunteers, including 2,377 trained disaster relief chaplains
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Partnerships:
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American Red Cross
The Salvation Army
Mercy Medical Airlift
Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of Homeland Security
National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters
International Mission Board, Southern Baptist Convention
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Organization:
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Disaster relief units are owned and staffed by Southern Baptist churches, regional Baptist associations, and state Baptist conventions. Volunteer teams respond to disasters within their own state and work cooperatively with other states in larger emergencies. Teams also work overseas when Baptist Global Response requests help. |
History:
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The first Southern Baptist Disaster Relief response took place in 1967 when a small group of Texas volunteers helped victims of Hurricane Beulah by serving hot food cooked on small "buddy burners."
Forty years later, in 2007, Southern Baptist volunteers prepared over one million meals. Click here for complete 2007 activity report. All assistance is provided to individuals and communities free of charge.
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Current Responses
Myanmar (Burma) response planned in aftermath of Cyclone Nargis
Southern Baptists are moving to respond in the aftermath of Cyclone Nargis, which struck Myanmar, a country in Southeast Asia also known as Burma, early May 3 with winds of up to 120 mph.
The storm knocked out electricity in Yangon, the country's largest city, and left hundreds of thousands of people homeless, according to the Associated Press. The death toll was estimated at 4,000, with another 3,000 missing, but the country’s foreign minister warned the toll could reach more than 10,000 in low-lying areas, where the storm’s impact was most intense.
Baptist Global Response and its local partners in Myanmar are trying to get an on-ground assessment of the situation, but the massive disruption of communications and travel ports is making that difficult, said Jeff Palmer, executive director of Baptist Global Response. Stringent rules placed upon foreigners by the military government also complicate matters.
“At this time, BGR is doing all it can to assess and respond to this urgent need,” Palmer said. “We have made initial contact with some on-ground partners and have readied funds to be used for food, shelter and other emergency needs.
“It looks, however, as if it will be a few days before we can get government permission and resources in place to respond in an adequate manner,” Palmer added. “This seems to be a pattern that all relief and development agencies are experiencing at this point.”
Please pray for the people of Myanmar and those who are suffering. Pray also that we will find ways to get to the people
Virginia Tornadoes on April 28, 2008
Action Report from Virginia Baptist Mission Board (VBMB) Disaster Relief Ministries
May 1
Initial Operations: A small Incident Command was established at the Virginia Baptist Resource Center for the purpose of assessing the situation, establishing communications with VBMB DR partners, and considering what disaster response ministries might be needed. Contacts were made with Concord, Petersburg, Blackwater, Portsmouth and Norfolk Area Baptist Associations and with several local BGAV churches. Other partners contacted included SBCV Disaster Relief, American Red Cross, VOAD, United Methodist Disaster Relief, and NAMB. The following VBMB Disaster Relief physical assets were placed on stand by: small feeding unit based in Norfolk, three clean up recovery units, and the temporary child care unit.
Early Assessment: The number of affected residents in Brunswick County could be assisted with disaster relief leadership and volunteers from the Concord Baptist Association. The affected properties in the Colonial Heights area were predominately commercial; no response was planned for that area. The Driver and Nansemond River communities in Suffolk sustained the greatest damage and had the most needs. Several partners were focusing on the Driver area. VBMB DR decided to focus on the Nansemond River community.
Challenges: Tornadoes cause severe damage along their pathways. Their debris fields can be impressive and, when images of this damage are broadcast widely, many caring people wish to offer their help. However, as devastating as tornado damage is to those directly in the path, tornados do not affect a high percentage of the geography, population or infrastructure of a community. For this reason, the number of would be helpers frequently exceeds the number from outside the area who are needed. This has been the case with the Suffolk tornadoes.
Response Activated: A decision was made on 30 April that chainsaw recovery, temporary child care, and feeding units would not be needed. These units and their respective leadership were stood down during the morning of 30 April.
A Disaster Relief “Comfort Station” offering cold water, coffee, shaded seats, prepackaged food items, crisis care chaplains, and helping hands for removal of personal items from damaged homes was established in the Nansemond River community on the morning of 30 April. The benefactors of this Comfort Station have been law enforcement officers, insurance company adjustors, construction contractors, the media, and property owners/residents of the Nansemond River community. This comfort station is being staff by Disaster Relief volunteers from the Norfolk Area, Blackwater, and Portsmouth Baptist Associations under the leadership of VBMB DR Regional Coordinator Tom Cline and Regional Coordinator of Volunteers Kim Jessie. The initial plan is to maintain the comfort station at least through Sunday, May 4. Crisis care chaplains may be activated again in the weeks following the tornado.
The Appomattox Baptist Association disaster relief laundry unit was activated on the morning of 1 May. This unit is being deployed to Suffolk where it will become an additional helping resource at the temporary disaster services center established by our American Red Cross partners. The ARC service center and therefore the laundry unit will be sited at the Westminster Presbyterian Church located on Godwin Boulevard in Suffolk.
More traditional modes of disaster relief such as chainsaws, debris removal, and application of tarps are being offered and accomplished in relatively small numbers in the Driver area of Suffolk. SBCV Disaster Relief, Samaritan’s Purse, “God’s Pit Crew” and others are conducting these operations. It was determined that the assistance being offered by these partners was sufficient for the need. For this reason, VBMB DR focused on the Nansemond River community. These neighborhoods did not reopen to residents until the afternoon of 30 April. At that time, VBMB DR was well positioned to meet “niche” needs in the area. Because the community is populated by middle to upper middle class families, all were well insured. And, their insurance companies are providing repairs. For this reason, it is improbable that large numbers of DR volunteers will be needed.
Action Report from Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia (SBCV) Disaster Relief Ministries
April 30: Three tornadoes ripped up parts of central and southeastern Virginia on Monday afternoon. More than 200 people are estimated to be injured in the twisters. There was significant property damage, both to businesses and private residences. Mark Gauthier, state disaster relief director of SBCV, reported, “We have two chainsaw/clean-up units on site, one in the Driver section of Suffolk and the other in the outlying area. We also have one assessment team on the ground. Currently, both chainsaw teams are assisting in conducting assessments. We have four additional chainsaw/clean-up teams standing by, and an additional 20-25 volunteers who have yet to be assigned to a specific team. Areas are still closed due to gas leaks and power lines down that have not been secured. Our teams have completed the assessments in two of three neighborhoods. 277 homes are damaged; 24 homes are destroyed. We anticipate having six recovery teams on site tomorrow, plus one assessment team to finish up. The recovery teams today completed six jobs. I have spoken with Terry Raines (state disaster relief director of VBMB) and we (SBCV and VBMB) will be working together on this response. At this time we do not feel that assistance from conventions outside of Virginia will be necessary.”
May 1: Yesterday, six recovery jobs were completed, and a total of 301 assessments have been conducted, with the following results: Affected-39; Minor-126; Major-112; Destroyed-34. Only one chainsaw team is working today, due to areas still being restricted. All areas should be open tomorrow. In a meeting with volunteer organizations, it was determined that Operation Blessing will conduct debris removal, Samaritan's Purse will install blue roofing, and SBCV will be assigned all chainsaw jobs. The coordination is being done by the United Way, with Operation Blessing responsible for all volunteer assignments. All areas will be opened for work beginning Friday, May 2, and a large number of additional jobs from United Way is expected. Five additional chainsaw units have been activated for arrival Friday and Saturday. Also activated are one feeding unit to be used for volunteer meals, one shower unit, and one bunk house for overflow housing.
Cameron Byler, SBC pioneer in disaster relief, passes away at 79 following brief illness
Cameron Byler – a pioneer in national disaster relief and men’s missions within the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) – died Mon., Apr. 28 at San Antonio’s St. Lukes Baptist Hospital. Described by friends as a “Christian John Wayne,” Byler would have turned 80 on May 11. More >
Operation Noah Rebuild
Operation Noah Rebuild is a three-year project (through August 2009) in the New Orleans area that is using volunteer labor to rehab more than 1,000 homes and 20 churches. It is a partnership project between the New Orleans churches, New Orleans associations, Louisiana Baptist Convention, and the North American Mission Board. Skilled and unskilled workers are needed to help with roofs, dry wall installation, electrical work, plumbing, painting, building, etc. Teams from Southern Baptist organizations and other faith-based organizations are invited to volunteer. This includes church groups, student groups, campus groups, etc. Teams should consist of at least four members. Larger groups are welcome and may be given multiple job assignments. The Noah office is in the Algiers section of New Orleans next to Calvary Baptist Church. It is handling registration of volunteer teams and job requests.
For further information:
National Leadership
Terry Henderson is the national disaster relief director.
To contact the Disaster Operations Center, call 1 888 462-8657 or e-mail dr_offsite@namb.net.
Click here for the Disaster Relief Archives.
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