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Hurricane Dorian Response

Hurricane Dorian Response

Hurricane Dorian Response

“While South Carolina was spared the severe and widespread hurricane impact that has been common in our state in recent years, we empathize with those effected. From the citizens of the Bahamas to the individuals in NC and SC to the members of our own Holy City Church in Charleston, we pray that God will bring help, hope, and healing to all. Thank you for your interest in, and support of, Disaster Relief ministry as an avenue to saturate our state and beyond with the Gospel of Jesus Christ with the goal of transformed lives everywhere we go.” – Randy Creamer, Director, SC Baptist Convention Disaster Relief Office

The following is a summary of where we’ve been, where things are presently, and where we may go in the future. 

South Carolina – Two chainsaw units in affected areas have responded to a few local needs, but no units have been deployed outside their own area to respond to Hurricane Dorian damage in South Carolina. No recovery sites have been opened in SC.

Mass feeding was not needed in SC after the storm. Our Rapid Response Feeding Team cooked 7,775 meals for emergency management personnel and first responders in the Charleston area before and during the storm.

North Carolina – Mass feeding, shower, and recovery sites are being opened on Hatteras and Ocracoke islands. Logistics of establishing DR ministries in these locations have been challenging, but North Carolina Disaster Relief expects to be ready to host DR teams to serve at the sites soon. South Carolina has four mud-out units preparing to serve on the Outer Banks over the next several weeks.

Bahamas – international Disaster Relief by Southern Baptists is coordinated by Baptist Global Response (BGR). BGR is working with the Bahama Baptist Convention, governmental, and other groups to determine best practices for long-term relief efforts.

An experienced BGR volunteer from South Carolina, Eddie Fulmer, is a member of the Disaster Assessment and Response Team (DART) which is spending this week assessing the situation and putting together a plan to meet both immediate and long-term needs. As a strategy is determined, SC will continue to participate in relief efforts.

Another of our experienced BGR volunteers, Dwight Herring, is coordinating transport of 14 pallets containing 10,000 donated MRE meals to the Bahamas in the next few days. He has secured donated services of a trucking company to get the pallets to Florida, and a friend from Greenwood will then make multiple trips in his private plane to fly the MREs to the islands.

It is expected that materials for roofing, debris removal, and a number of different relief supplies will be required in the weeks to come, but for immediate provisions, BGR is supplying food, blankets, and hygiene kits to families in need.

To support SC Baptist’s hurricane relief efforts, donations, please visit http://www.scbaptist.org/disaster-relief-donations/.

  • Sue Harmon

    Sue Harmon

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