Alabama’s disaster relief force ranks among the strongest in the Southern Baptist Convention in number of volunteers, according to a state Baptist official.
Mel Johnson, disaster relief strategist for the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions (SBOM), said having a large disaster relief force is common in coastal states because of the potential for natural disasters.
“Alabama is a pacesetter, [though] we’re not the largest,” Johnson said.
He pointed out that Florida, Texas and North Carolina also have very strong disaster relief capabilities.
Nonetheless Alabama’s disaster relief force often is recruited to assist in training other state conventions’ volunteers, Johnson said.
Moreover “we have trained the National Guard, fire departments and are even called upon to assist in training for other denominations,” he added.
But since April 27 — when 60-plus tornadoes crisscrossed the state, claiming more than 240 lives — training has been focused on the homefront as the number of people being trained for Southern Baptist disaster relief in Alabama has increased fourfold.
In fact, interest has risen so much that the SBOM altered its normal training schedule to provide additional sessions.
“Normally disaster relief training is suspended during hurricane season,” which is June 1 through Nov. 30, so that all resources are available to respond if needed, Johnson said.
But during 2011, that was not the case, Johnson said.
Disaster relief training continued right through hurricane season, with the understanding that resources might have to be deployed regardless of any scheduled sessions.
Johnson said Alabama Baptists have shown a great commitment to be ready to respond when the next disaster occurs.
The heightened awareness of disaster relief ministry and its importance in a time of crisis led to a training session being conducted somewhere in Alabama every week since about a month and a half after April 27, Johnson said.
“We have trained nonstop since that time,” he said.
“We’ve trained in every district,” something that is unusual within one 12-month period.
Between April 27 and Dec. 15, 1,322 people were trained to serve with Alabama Baptist disaster relief, Johnson said.
In the same time frame in 2010, 337 people were trained, he noted.
During 2011, some associations saw their disaster relief teams grow in numbers or disciplines provided.
Meanwhile other associations that did not previously have a team are forming one.
Sardis Baptist Association seeks to establish a team, Director of Missions (DOM) James Preachers said.
To prepare for that, the association already has designated a disaster relief contact person.
Two others showing interest are Bethlehem Baptist Association and Pine Barren Baptist Association.
“We’re trying to get some teams organized in the future,” said John Marks, DOM for both associations.
Marks hopes volunteers from the associations can be trained this year.
Training sessions will begin again this month. Johnson said 2012 looks as if it will be another banner year because churches and associations already are inquiring about training.
A weekend of training — encompassing every discipline available — will be held April 13–14 at Shocco Springs Baptist Conference Center in Talladega.
For more information or to register, visit www.sbdr.org.
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