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Oklahoma Tornadoes

Thursday, May 23, 2013 (8 a.m.)

The Mississippi Baptist Disaster Relief Task Force has been activated, and trained volunteers will be moving in to Oklahoma early next week to assist with heavy debris cleanup and removal. Southern Baptist Convention coordinators report that feeding needs are being met by the Oklahoma Baptist disaster relief unit along with Baptist units from surrounding states. Mississippi Baptists have been tasked with removing heavy debris and preparing it for disposal. This will include separating and sorting debris according to safe disposal regulations. Four teams consisting of about 25 Mississippi Baptist volunteers will be in the initial deployment. Plans are being made to rotate more Mississippi Baptist volunteers into the Moore, Oklahoma, area as the response effort moves into a long-term phase.

Tuesday, May 21, 2013 (3 p.m.)

As of this time, the Mississippi Baptist Disaster Relief Task Force is on standby for activation as needed in response to the severe weather emergency currently underway in Oklahoma. The disaster area remains closed as first responders continue the search for survivors. Please check back for updates.

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A Message from Dr. Jim Futral, Executive Director Mississippi Baptist Convention Board

I know that you are already praying for the families in Oklahoma who have been impacted by Monday’s tornado. Pray for the responders and especially for those who will be ministering through the command post at First Baptist Church in Moore, Oklahoma. Pray for the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma, for other Baptist state conventions that will be moving their disaster units into place, and for the many volunteers who will be going to provide relief.

Some of you may receive questions regarding how people can help those whose lives and homes have been devastated. As always Jim Didlake and our Men’s Ministry staff are ready to answer questions and will have trained teams ready to go as areas open up and they are needed in the recovery efforts. The Mississippi Baptist Convention Board (MBCB) will accept financial donations to assist the Oklahoma victims. Checks should be made payable to MBCB with “Oklahoma Tornado Relief” noted on the memo line, and mailed to Mississippi Baptist Convention Board, Business Office, P.O. Box 530, Jackson, MS 39205-0530.

Thank you.

A Message from Kelly King, Executive Director Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma Women

www.okdisasterhelp.com

Oklahoma Baptists want to thank you for all of the kind messages, emails and prayers for our state as we have experienced the devastation from the past couple of days. We are still in the midst of assessing needs and rescue/recovery efforts are still in progress. I have lived in Oklahoma all of my life and have experienced the devastation of the Murrah Building bombing, the damage of tornadoes in 1999 and now this. I have to admit that I think this is the worst I’ve seen. The loss of children has been most heartbreaking. It’s almost too difficult to take it all in.

I know that many of you have experienced disasters and understand that there are many tough days ahead. Here are some specific ways you can pray and help those in need.

  1. Pray for those affected by the storms—especially those who have experienced the death of a child.
  2. Pray for our Disaster Relief volunteers and staff who are already mobilized.
  3. Pray for our churches as they seek to minister to the needs of their congregations. As far as we know, none of our SBC churches were damaged (a miracle!) and they are all collecting donations.
  4. Pray for responders who are still on the scene. More than 100 people were rescued throughout the night, but there are still at least 20 school children trapped under debris. We are still praying for miracles of life.
  5. Pray for hearts to be open and sensitive to the Gospel during this time.

Again, thank you for praying for our state.

South Mississippi Tornado

Thursday, February 28, 2013

Disaster Task Force feeding unit operations completed

Helping Tornado Victims photo

HELPING TORNADO VICTIMS — Gene Johnson, a member of First Church, Lumberton, and a volunteer with the Mississippi Baptist Disaster Relief Task Force, checks on the progress of the evening meal being prepared Feb. 18 for victims of the EF-4 tornado that swept through Lamar and Forrest counties on the afternoon of Feb. 10. The feeding unit of the Task Force concluded operations on Feb. 20, but work crews remain in the area and plans are being made for long-term rebuilding. (Photo by William H. Perkins Jr.)

By William H. Perkins Jr.

Editor

More than 23,000 meals were prepared by Mississippi Baptist volunteers in the aftermath of the powerful tornado that caused widespread destruction in Lamar and Forrest counties on the afternoon of Feb. 10, according to the coordinator of the Mississippi Baptist Disaster Relief Task Force.

Jim Didlake, director of men’s ministry for the Mississippi Baptist Convention Board (MBCB), said the mass feeding unit from Briar Hill Church in Florence conducted operations from its base at First Church, Petal, with Baptist volunteers from across the state. The unit closed its feeding operations on Feb. 20.

In addition to the volunteers who staffed the mass feeding unit, the Task Force also activated 12 teams to conduct chainsaw operations, debris clearance, and blue tarp roof work, and that work will continue, Didlake reported.

More than 300 Task Force volunteers have been involved thus far in the disaster response, Didlake said. He estimated that Mississippi Baptist volunteers have worked on about 185 damaged or destroyed homes.

The unofficial tally of homes affected by the storm stands at 800. The Oak Grove community in Lamar County took a hard hit, as did the cities of Hattiesburg and Petal. A number of businesses also sustained heavy damage. The office of the Red Cross in Hattiesburg was flattened.

Structures in the southeastern corner of the University of Southern Mississippi, at the intersection of U.S. Highway 49 and Hardy Street, suffered significant damage. Those structures include the Old Fire Station and the Ogletree Alumni House.

High Climb photo

HIGH CLIMB — Volunteers with the Mississippi Baptist Disaster Relief Task Force place blue tarps over a roof damaged by the Feb. 10 tornado that damaged or destroyed over 800 homes and businesses in Lamar and Forrest counties. (Special photo courtesy of Don Gann)

Donations Accepted

Checks should be made payable to MBCB, with “Miss. Disaster Relief” noted on the memo line. The address to mail donations is Mississippi Baptist Convention Board, P.O. Box 530, Jackson, MS 39205-0530. On-line donations can be made at http://mbcb.org/giving/.

Don Gann is a consultant in the MBCB Men’s Ministry Department and has been on the scene of the tornado since shortly after it touched down. “The Mississippi Baptist churches in the Hattiesburg area are some of the best organized and trained units in the Task Force. They have been coordinating with us and have a number of teams in the field that are not included in that volunteer total,” Gann said.

The National Weather Service has classified the tornado as an EF-4 with sustained winds of 170 miles per hour — only one step below some of the most powerful tornadoes ever recorded. The Enhanced Fujita (EF) Scale is a standardized method of rating the magnitude of tornadoes. The scale runs from EF-0 with winds of 65-85 miles per hour, to EF-5 with winds greater than 200 miles per hour.

Didlake said the Task force is now moving into the rebuilding phase of its response, with follow-up meetings scheduled to determine long-term needs. “Once we meet with local Mississippi Baptist pastors whose churches partner with the Task Force, we will know what those long-term needs are. In the meantime, insurance matters and other considerations have to be resolved.”

An announcement will be made when the details of the rebuilding phase are worked out over the next several weeks, Didlake said. Rebuilding after Hurricane Katrina and other disasters involved donations of construction materials, skilled volunteers from the construction industry, and funding for the projects.

The MBCB is accepting financial donations to assist the victims of the violent weather. Checks should be made payable to MBCB, with “Miss. Disaster Relief” noted on the memo line. The address to mail donations is Mississippi Baptist Convention Board, P.O. Box 530, Jackson, MS 39205-0530. On-line donations can be made at http://mbcb.org/giving/.

“In-kind” donations, such as food, clothing, or equipment, are not being accepted at this time.

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Baptists mobilize tornado response

Baptists Respond photo

BAPTISTS RESPOND — Joe Ross, a member of First Church, Meridian, and a volunteer for the Mississippi Baptist Disaster Relief Task Force, helps prepare the Feb. 18 evening meal for victims of the EF-4 tornado that struck the Hattiesburg area in south Mississippi on the afternoon of Feb. 10. The Task Force, which currently includes chain saw, debris clearance, and blue tarp teams in addition to mass feeding units, is headquartered on the campus of First Church, Petal. (Photo by William H. Perkins Jr.)

By William H. Perkins Jr.

Editor

Mississippi Baptist disaster relief volunteers are still on the scene of a powerful tornado that tore through the Hattiesburg area on the afternoon of Feb. 10, damaging or destroying up to 800 homes and raking the campus of the University of Southern Mississippi.

The tornado, designated an EF-4 by the National Weather Service, flattened houses and extensively damaged at least one school in the Oak Grove community of Lamar County before heading eastward into Hattiesburg and Petal in Forrest County. The tornado’s footprint was estimated to be three-quarters of a mile wide, but no fatalities were reported among several hundred injuries.

The Enhanced Fujita (EF) Scale is a standardized method of rating tornado damage. The scale runs from EF-0 with winds of 65-85 miles per hour, to EF-5 with winds greater than 200 miles per hour. Preliminary estimates put the speed of the winds associated with the Feb. 10 tornado at 170 miles per hour.

Don Gann, consultant in the Men’s Ministry Department of the Mississippi Baptist Convention Board (MBCB) which administers the Mississippi Baptist Disaster Relief Task Force, reported at press deadline on the morning of Feb. 19 that about 75 task force members were currently in the Hattiesburg area conducting feeding operations, chainsaw operations, debris clearance, and blue tarp placement on damaged roofs.

“The Mississippi Baptist churches in the Hattiesburg area are some of the best organized and trained units in the Task Force. They have been coordinating with us and have a number of teams in the field that are not included in that 75-count volunteer total,” Gann said.

He estimated over 8,000 hot meals have been prepared by the Task Force as of the Feb. 18 evening meal. The feeding unit is operating on the campus of First Church, Petal, which was undamaged.

Among the associational disaster relief units that have been activated by the Task Force are Calhoun, Copiah, Covington/Jefferson Davis, Gulf Coast, Jackson, Pearl River, and Yalobusha. Other units are on standby.

“We have also started looking to the future and planning for the rebuilding phase of the response,” Gann said. “We’ll need construction supplies, and construction personnel on a rotating basis, for an estimated six months.”

For information on participating in the rebuilding phase, contact Carol Wright in the MBCB Men’s Ministry Department, P.O. Box 530, Jackson, MS 39205-0530. Telephone: (601) 292-3334 or toll free outside Jackson (800) 748-1651, ext. 334. E-mail: cwright@mbcb.org. Web site: www.mbcb.org.

The Mississippi Baptist Convention Board is accepting financial donations to assist the victims of the violent weather. Checks should be made payable to MBCB, with “Miss. Disaster Relief” noted on the memo line. The address to mail donations is Mississippi Baptist Convention Board, P.O. Box 530, Jackson, MS 39205-0530. On-line donations can be made at http://mbcb.org/giving/.

“In-kind” donations, such as food, clothing, or equipment, are not being accepted at this time.

In addition to donations, the Mississippi Baptist Disaster Relief Task Force is supported by gifts to the Margaret Lackey State Mission Offering and the Mississippi Cooperative Program.

Saturday, February 16, 2013

Larry Manuel photo

Larry Manuel of Briar Hill Church, Florence

Volunteers from all over the US descended on the Hattiesburg area helping those affected by the recent tornadoes clean-up. Baptist churches in Lamar and Lebanon Associations coordinated volunteers to affected areas. Work included debris removal, tarping roofs, moving furniture, and sharing the love of Christ.

Mississippi Baptist Disaster Relief continues to support the efforts of churches with chainsaw teams, tarping teams, and a feeding team. The feeding unit is in place at Petal First Baptist Church preparing approximately 3400 meals per day.

Ruth Khonke and Becky Graves photo

Ruth Khonke of FBC, Lumberton, and Becky Graves of FBC, Clinton

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Pearl River Baptist Association Disaster Relief photo

Disaster Relief team from Pearl River Baptist Association

Teams from MS Baptist Disaster Relief are serving for the 4th day in the Hattiesburg/Petal areas responding to assist those affected by the tornados of February 10, 2013.

Mississippi Baptist Churches in the Hattiesburg/Petal areas have effectively mobilized to help church members and neighbors.

MS Baptist DR is working closely with Lebanon Baptist Association (George Berger, AMD) and Lamar Baptist Association (Danny Henderson, AMD).

Feeding operations are centered at Petal First Baptist Church, Petal. The Briar Hill Baptist Church, Florence, feeding unit is preparing approximately 3000 meals per day. These meals are fed to volunteers working in the area and in support of American Red Cross who distributes food to affected areas.

The feeding operation will tentatively last for seven days.

Jim Didlake photo

Jim Didlake, director of Men’s Ministry and Mississippi Baptist Disaster Relief Task Force coordinator

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

HATTIESBURG, Ms. (Special) – A total of six Mississippi Baptist Disaster Relief Task Force teams had been activated by press deadline in response to the EF-4 tornado with 170 mile-per-hour winds that struck several areas of south Mississippi shortly before 6 p.m. on Feb. 10.

Jim Didlake, director of men’s ministry at the Mississippi Baptist Convention Board (MBCB) and coordinator for the convention’s Disaster Relief Task Force, said the teams are being used in hard-hit Forrest and Lamar counties for chainsaw/debris clearance and “blue tarp” work where sheets of heavy plastic are stretched over damaged roofs so homeowners can return to their homes. A listing of the teams’ home bases was not available at press deadline.

Particularly hard-hit were the Oak Grove community in Lamar County and the Hattiesburg and Petal areas in Forrest County. Preliminary estimates put the number of structures damaged at over 200.

Didlake said Petal-Harvey Church in Petal, Temple Church in Hattiesburg, and Main Street Church in Hattiesburg have opened their facilities to the disaster relief teams. Food needs are being met at the present time by a number of Mississippi Baptist churches in the area, he added.

The Enhanced Fujita (EF) Scale is a standardized method of rating tornado damage. The scale runs from EF-0 with winds of 65-85 miles per hour, to EF-5 with winds greater than 200 miles per hour.

The MBCB is accepting financial donations to assist the victims of the violent weather. Checks should be made payable to MBCB, with “Miss. Disaster Relief” noted on the memo line. The address to mail donations is Mississippi Baptist Convention Board, P.O. Box 530, Jackson, MS 39205-0530. On-line donations can be made at http://mbcb.org/giving/.

“In-kind” donations, such as food, clothing, or equipment, are not being accepted at this time.

Hurricane Sandy

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Mississippi Baptist Disaster Relief Task Force members are in place and conducting ministry work in the following locations:

Toms River, New Jersey

Staten Island/Long Island, New York

Pennsylvania

11 a.m., Monday, November 5, 2012

Volunteers with the Mississippi Baptist Disaster Relief Task Force are on the scene of Hurricane Sandy’s destructive aftermath in the New York City and New Jersey areas. Twenty-five volunteers are conducting chainsaw/mudout work (Yalobusha Baptist Association and Pearl River Baptist Association), maintaining a shower unit (Lafayette/Marshall Baptist Association), and performing other services as needed (Colonial Hills Baptist Church, Southaven).

The Mississippi Baptist mass feeding unit was deactivated and returned to Mississippi on November 5, along with 20 volunteers. As restoration of electrical power picks up speed, the need for emergency meals has decreased, and Baptist feeding units are being deactivated. In addition to the Mississippi Baptist unit, units from Alabama, Missouri, and Southern Baptists of Texas have been deactivated and are returning to their respective home states.

Deployment of additional Mississippi Baptist disaster relief volunteers and units with specialized training is under consideration at this time. No return date has been set for the volunteers who are currently in the field.

The Disaster Relief Task Force of the Mississippi Baptist Convention Board (MBCB) is now accepting donations for disaster relief mobilizations such as the Hurricane Sandy response. Tax-deductible donations should be mailed to MBCB Business Office, P.O. Box 530, Jackson, MS 39205-0530. Checks should be made payable to MBCB, with “Disaster Relief” noted on the memo line. Donations can also be made online from this page.

For more information, contact the MBCB Men’s Ministry Department at cwright@mbcb.org. Telephone: (601) 292-3334 or toll-free outside Jackson (800) 748-1651, ext. 334. For disaster relief updates, visit www.mbcb.org.

6:30 a.m., Friday, November 2, 2012

The Mississippi Baptist Disaster Relief Task Force has been mobilized in response to Hurricane Sandy’s devastating blow late last week and earlier this week to the northeast United States. An initial team of 44 Mississippi Baptist disaster relief volunteers departed Central Hills Baptist Retreat near Kosciusko at 6:30 a.m. on Friday, November 2, to support the Southern Baptist disaster relief response.

Jim Didlake, men’s ministry director for the Mississippi Baptist Convention Board and the coordinator of the Mississippi Baptist Disaster Relief Task Force, is leading the caravan on the 26-hour drive to a staging area north of New York City. Plans call for the initial volunteer team to be on site for one week, with extended deployment to be evaluated during that time frame. The Mississippi Baptist response includes:

The Disaster Relief Task Force of the Mississippi Baptist Convention Board (MBCB) is now accepting donations for disaster relief mobilizations such as the Hurricane Sandy response. Tax-deductible donations should be mailed to MBCB Business Office, P.O. Box 530, Jackson, MS 39205-0530. Checks should be made payable to MBCB, with “Disaster Relief” noted on the memo line. Donations can also be made online from this page.

For more information, contact the MBCB Men’s Ministry Department at cwright@mbcb.org. Telephone: (601) 292-3334 or toll-free outside Jackson (800) 748-1651, ext. 334. For disaster relief updates, visit www.mbcb.org.

Hurricane Isaac

September 21

Jim Didlake, director of Men’s Ministry for the Mississippi Baptist Convention Board and coordinator of the Mississippi Baptist Disaster Relief Task Force, reported on the morning of Sept. 21 that all Mississippi Baptist disaster relief workers and equipment have returned from the Mississippi Gulf Coast, with the exception of a handful of volunteers who are working with Jackson County Baptist Association in Pascagoula to wrap up some repair needs.

September 10

Jim Didlake, director of men’s ministries at the Mississippi Baptist Convention Board in Jackson and coordinator of the Mississippi Baptist Disaster Relief Task Force, reported Sept. 10 that the Mississippi Baptist feeding units have returned from the Long Beach and Pascagoula locations but mud-out crews continue to work along the Gulf Coast.

September 4

The Miss. Baptist Disaster Relief team continues to respond to needs generated by Hurricane Isaac. The response changes as needs of those affected are identified.

On Sunday, Sept. 2, Miss. Feeding Unit #1 completed its deployment at FBC Long Beach. The team of 60 volunteers prepared 6,100 meals.

The DR kitchen operating out of FBC-Pascagoula closed feeding operations on Monday, September 2. The team of 28 volunteers prepared 13,000 meals.

We are currently coordinating mud out teams that will be operating in Jackson and Gulf Coast Associations and potentially Pearl River Association. At this point assessment is under way in these areas and teams from within the state and outside Mississippi will be deployed.

Also, Mississippi shower trailers are deployed to Franklinton, LA and Hattiesburg, MS.

August 31

Disaster relief kitchen #1 is at FBC Long Beach, preparing 1800 meals for lunch. Kitchen #2 is currently being activated to FBC Pascagoula and will feed the evening meal tonight, assuming 900 meals. John Henry is assessing mudout needs in Harrison and Hancock Counties, working with Gulf Coast Association. Tom Greene is assessing Jackson County, working with the Jackson County Association. Kay Cassibry will be the white cap in Pascagoula. Roger Foster is white cap at FBC Long Beach, with 21 task force members serving. Kitchen #2 is the Briar Hill Church, Florence, unit. The Yalobusha team is assessing the Lakeshore/Pearlington areas for chainsaw and mudout needs. A team from Colonial Hills Church, Southaven, will be arriving later today to serve in Long Beach.

From Jim Didlake, Director, Men’s Ministry Department, Mississippi Baptist Convention Board, as of noon Wednesday, August 29

We have both of our feeding units ready to go in to two sites – First Church, Pascagoula, and First Church, Long Beach. We have another site at First Church, Gulfport, available for feeding if needed. An Incident Command Team is set up at the Baptist Building that is presently monitoring the situation. We have our mud-out and our chainsaw teams on standby when needed. At the present time, we anticipate moving toward the coast Thursday around noon, weather permitting. We’re getting reports in from across the coast, and so far we’re hearing of some minor flooding and spotty power outages.

Hurricane relief donations accepted (8-27-2012)

The Disaster Relief Task Force of the Mississippi Baptist Convention Board (MBCB) is now accepting donations for hurricane relief as the 2012 hurricane season picks up speed with named storm Isaac. Tax-deductible donations should be mailed to MBCB Business Office, P.O. Box 530, Jackson, MS 39205-0530. Checks should be made payable to MBCB, with “Hurricane Relief” noted on the memo line. Donations can also be made online from this page.

For more information, contact the MBCB Men’s Ministry Department at cwright@mbcb.org. Telephone: (601) 292-3334 or toll-free outside Jackson (800) 748-1651, ext. 334. For disaster relief updates, visit www.mbcb.org.

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