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Institute for Crisis, Disaster, and Risk Management Crisis and Emergency Management Newsletter Website |
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March
2007
Volume
12 - Number 3 |
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Report of the efforts of the Southern Baptist Convention disasters By Billy Haley The Southern Baptist Disaster Relief is a ministry of the North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention and works to provide humanitarian assistance to victims of natural and man-made disasters, including terrorist attacks, anywhere in the world. Southern Baptist efforts are correlated primarily with the American Red Cross, along with other private agencies through NVOAD, National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster. The 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 home state and work cooperatively with other states in larger-scale disasters. The Southern Baptist Disaster Relief has more than 50,000 trained volunteers and approximately 790 mobile units with capabilities consisting of feeding, chainsaw operations, mud-out, command, communication, child care, shower, laundry, and water purification. Currently, the Southern Baptist Disaster Relief is engaged in a number of operations around the country; one of the longer endeavors they are committed to is Operation Noah Rebuild in support of Gulf Coast Recovery efforts in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Operation Noah Rebuild is a two-year recovery project in New Orleans and the surrounding communities, headquartered in the Algiers section of New Orleans. The goal of Operation Noah Rebuild is to rehab more than 1,000 homes and 20 churches utilizing volunteers. This project is a partnership between the North American Mission Board, Louisiana Baptist Convention, and New Orleans area associations. The Operation Noah Rebuild Activity Report at the end of 2006 reported the following: Volunteers Volunteers: 5,997 Teams: 436 Meals: 21,089 Bed Nights: 8,489 Home Construction Tear-Out Completed: 480 Tear-Out on the List: 248 Under Construction: 62 Completed: 11 Still on the List: 1,293 Church Construction Tear-Out Completed: 3 Tear-Out on the List: 1 Under Construction: 4 Completed: 1 Still on the List: 19 The Operation Noah Rebuild project is still looking for volunteers, skilled and unskilled, to help with roofing, drywall installation, electrical work, plumbing, painting, and building construction, among other tasks. In addition to Operation Noah Rebuild, Southern Baptist Disaster Relief is currently operating in Missouri and Oklahoma following severe winter storms that left close to 90 people dead. Approximately 1,000 volunteers are assisting with the cleanup of downed trees and debris in the wake of the storm. The entire Southern Baptist Disaster Relief organization mobilized within 24 hours to support storm recovery operations. Southern Baptist units already have prepared more than 45,000 meals, completed over 660 chainsaw jobs and provided almost 500 showers and laundry loads. Approximately 3,500-4,000 chainsaw jobs remain to be completed, according to the state disaster relief director for the Missouri Baptist Convention. This is expected to be a two month recovery operation. Additional information on the Southern Baptist Convention can be found at: http://www.namb.org http://www.sbc.net |