Author: tndisasterrelief

Dorian – All Units Standing Down

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I am officially STANDING ALL UNITS DOWN from response to Dorian.

I want to thank everyone for their patience as we have been dealing with Dorian taking its sweet time to decide what it would do. I thank you for your readiness to respond as needed as our status has changed so many times over the last 10 days. Our feeding unit and support vehicles had gone so far as to leave at 7:00 AM EST this morning to head to their assignment before getting a call on the road telling them to hold until a determination could be made as to damage and need. They are headed home now.

To those of you who took off time from work, I apologize that you were not able to fulfill what you had planned to do through serving those affected by disaster.

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Baptists Plan Response to Hurricane Dorian

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Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief units asked to ‘stand by’ for now

Baptist Press

Tropical Cyclone Track Forecast Cone and Watches/Warnings and Initial Wind Field — Graphic from www.nhc.noaa.gov

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Hurricane Dorian finally completed its pounding of the Bahamas on Sept. 3. After intensifying to a Category 5 before devastating the islands, Dorian weakened to a Category 3 as it continued its slow trek toward Florida. Early reports describe the damage as historic, and five deaths had been reported in the Bahamas.

Baptist Global Response (BGR) has purview over the Bahamas and will be assisting with disaster relief efforts once the storm passes and damage assessments have been completed. Jeff Palmer, executive director of BGR, said he is in contact with the Bahama Baptist Convention and the Caribbean Baptist Fellowship. Continue reading

Watching Dorian Closely

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Image: NOAA.gov

What a difference 24 hours can make.

Dorian has increased in strength to a Cat. 5 and become tied with the 2nd strongest Atlantic hurricane recorded. It is SLOWLY tearing through the Bahamas as I write. Please pray for these people as there are not many protected areas on these islands.

This afternoon the state leaders received an email from Florida asking for 5 Feeding units to come and pre-stage in Florida. After talking with Jim Ramey (Feeding Lead) he said his unit could roll Tuesday morning. When I called FL the already had 5 committed but asked up to prepare to come on Tuesday with a location to be determined.

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Callout Opportunities – Illinois & Massachusetts

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Just to let our TNDR volunteers know that we have been asked to send crews to Illinois and Massachusetts.

A town in Illinois had 10 inches of rain in 4 hours and is in need of Flood Recovery Crews starting this Thursday. In Massachusetts, they were hit by 3 F-1 tornadoes and are in need of Chainsaw Crews immediately.

If you can go over the coming weeks, please let your team leaders know ASAP. If you do not know who your team leader is or do not have a team in your association, contact us here at the office and we will try to hook you up with a team that is responding if possible.

Disaster Response Needs

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DOMs Team Leaders and secretaries,

Just want to give you an update on the needs that are out there for Disaster Response.

We are looking for more mud-out teams to go to Arkansas.  In talking to their State Director, the flooding is just getting to the Western side of the state.  He believes they will be doing Flood Recovery for the next 1 ½ months so that would take it to August +/-.  If you can put together a team to go, please contact us here at the office as with the dates you would like to take a team.  We have one team heading out this weekend and another the next week and one scheduled for July.  They could use more. Continue reading

DR Callout Update

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DOMs, Team Leaders and Secretaries,

It is time to bring you up to date on what is going on with respect to the disasters around the country, thanks for your patience.

Ohio Tornado…They hope to be wrapping up this response by Friday of this week.  They are NOT asking for any teams to come and assist.

Flooding…. Continue reading

Ohio, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma & Arkansas Update

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DOMs, Team Leaders and Secretaries,

Just a quick update after the conference call today.

The tornado that hit the Dayton, OH area…they are still trying to get set up and moving into the area.  EM’s are not letting anyone in yet.  SBCV and KY will be setting up IC’s on opposite sides of Dayton.  I have let them know of our availability, but at this time we are on HOLD.  As they are able to get in and set up, hopefully we will get more word of if we will be needed. Continue reading

TN Flooding Update and Beyond March 28

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The work to clean up after February’s flooding around TN continues to progress.  Here are some of the work hours that have been put in as of yesterday.

Affected CountyVolunteer HoursEquipment Hours
Hamblen County 712Pump 276
Cheatham County308147.28
Hardin County2824172.5
Rhea Co-Spring City27760
Hamilton County11929
Decatur County24
Knox County1351604
Totals as of 3/27/195615 Hrs.1288.78 Hrs.

I am so grateful for the work of our TBDR volunteers and those who have worked alongside of them and those who have come in from other states to assist.

There are still two main areas that need more work…

Knox County can still use some short-term help.  We thought we were about done and closed-down the IC and Glenwood and moved it back to the Knox County Associational office.  However, when they went back through the master list and the ones on Crisis Clean-up; they have encountered a number that can still use our assistance.  If you have a team in the area that can assist Knox County for a day or a couple of days at a time to get this wrapped up, please contact Lou Mulsand at mulsand@gmail.com . Continue reading

March 7 Flood Update

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DOMs, Team Leaders and Secretaries,

A map of call reports for flood damaged homes in Knox County.

Many different teams have either been out working or trying to survey different areas of the state where the flooding is taking place.  Thank you to all of you who are working so hard.

We need Flood Recovery teams to assist with the work in Knoxville, TN.  We have set up an IC in Glenwood BC in Powell.  If you can put together a team ASAP let either Elizabeth or I know, and we will get you scheduled in.  We have housing and food set up.

We have had teams working from Chattanooga, to Hamblen County, over the hills and to Middle/West TN at numerous places along the TN River and its tributaries.  There are still many locations where the water has still not gone down enough to get into, especially in Decatur County and the Savannah area.  We have had volunteers visit these areas many times and they still could not get into the hardest hit areas. Continue reading