Alabama Baptist disaster relief volunteers were once again among the top responders to help with cleanup following devastating tornadoes.
“We have had so many teams to respond that the damaged communities have given us numerous accolades for our ministry,” said Mel Johnson, disaster relief strategist for the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions.
Hundreds of Alabama Baptists — both those trained in a specific disaster relief skill and those ready to roll up their sleeves and help in whatever capacity needed — volunteered without hesitation to help following the Jan. 22–23 storms doing damage in eight counties.
Charles McGhee, disaster relief coordinator for District 4, oversaw feeding and chain saw operations the week of Jan. 29 in north and west Jefferson County. “Everyone has worked together well,” he said.
Ty Corbin of Calhoun Baptist Association helped coordinate the work of 150 chain saw operators. “Our chain saw crews have given 3,000 volunteer hours and made many ministry contacts,” he said.
As of Feb. 1, 104 chain saw jobs had been completed and the remaining jobs were to be assigned to local Birmingham Baptist Association disaster relief teams.
John Hayes, disaster relief coordinator for District 11 (which includes the Birmingham area), explained that Center Point is an older community, thus trees in the area are huge. “We had a lot of wood to move,” Hayes said. “We’ve been out there doing what we can to help people get through this crisis.”
From Jan. 23–Feb. 1, more than 12,000 meals were served by the Birmingham Association feeding unit stationed at First Baptist Church, Center Point. Following the lead of the American Red Cross and in coordination with local emergency management teams, the last meal was served Feb. 2.
More than two dozen chaplains were deployed, along with 34 additional chaplain teams assigned to canvas targeted areas. The chaplain teams provided crisis care ministry to 407 households or individuals.
“The intent of the additional chaplain teams was to provide care for those not being served by the chaplains assigned to the feeding unit or chain saw teams,” Johnson noted.
In addition to the army of trained disaster relief volunteers, local churches and individuals rushed to help storm victims. By daybreak Jan. 23, members of Clayridge Baptist Church, Pinson, in Birmingham Association had jumped into action, removing debris in the Clay, Trussville and Center Point areas.
Clayridge Baptist members worked side by side with members of nearby Spring Valley Baptist Church, Springville, in St. Clair Baptist Association. The churches immediately began distributing meals and relief supplies to victims. “As of Feb. 1, 7,500 meals had been distributed to residents and relief workers in the affected communities,” Clayridge Pastor Ron Hudgens said.
Much of the food was provided by local restaurants, stores, church members and community organizations.
A call went out to Birmingham Association churches for volunteers to help clean up debris Jan. 28 and Feb. 4. More than 600 volunteers showed up to serve in the McDonald Chapel and Pleasant Grove areas Jan. 28.
Butch Henderson, the association’s associate executive director for church development, said, “We have been connecting tornado-damaged homeowners with local churches.”
Four Birmingham Association churches also offered their facilities as places for disaster relief volunteers to sleep during the roughly two weeks of cleanup: First, Center Point; Clearview Baptist Church, Pinson; and NorthPark Baptist Church and Deerfoot Baptist Church, both in Trussville.
Deerfoot church secretary Paula Hall assisted volunteers from 16 associations who stayed overnight at the church. “We fed them breakfast in the morning and then sent them off to their work sites,” Hall said.
Mike McLemore, executive director of Birmingham Association, said he appreciated all the work done by Alabama Baptist churches and individuals. He plans to continue finding ways to better organize and assimilate volunteers in Birmingham Association and encourages churches to partner with him.
Working through the association for disaster relief has several advantages, he noted. Two of those deal with liability issues and expenses.
Churches working on their own often don’t understand the risks involved should bodily harm or property damage occur during storm cleanup efforts involving chainsaws or other potentially hazardous equipment, McLemore said.
“If you take it on yourself to send untrained volunteers out uninsured, you as the local church are liable for that group,” he said. “When you work with the association, you come under our protection.”
The Birmingham Association maintains liability insurance that covers groups and individuals working through its disaster relief program, he explained.
“You assume a great liability on your congregation if you send out untrained volunteers,” he said. “We can cover those issues for you.”
Working through an association can also help churches provide shelter for people who suddenly find themselves homeless or unable to stay in their homes following a natural disaster.
The official shelters set up through the association following the recent tornadoes were set up in partnership with the Red Cross, meaning the expenses of operating those shelters belong to the Red Cross, McLemore said.
“If you set up a shelter on your own, the expenses are going to be your own,” he said. “It’s better if you go through us and work with the Red Cross. That allows us to use our money to help those families.”
For information on what types of disaster relief help is still needed following the recent tornadoes or about training opportunities, visit www.sbdr.org.
(June Mathews contributed)
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