OKLAHOMA CITY—As hurricane storms threaten the coastal United States, the Oklahoma Baptist Disaster Relief (DR) operation is on standby to assist, with trained volunteers and equipment in the event they are called on to offer disaster relief assistance.
Oklahoma Baptists depart to Westlaco, Texas where more than 6,000 homeowners were affected by flooding.
According to news reports, weather forecasts project Hurricane Florence to make landfall on Thurs., Sept. 13, with potential impact from Georgia to Virginia.
“We are putting disaster relief teams on alert for ‘possible’ deployment as early as next Saturday morning,” said Don Williams, state director for Oklahoma Baptist DR.
Beginning Sept. 18, one associational kitchen will be on standby with 20 trained and equipped Oklahoma Baptist DR volunteers. The kitchen has the capability to produce 8,000-10,000 meals per day for seven days.
Oklahoma Baptists welding and pulling electrical wire for the Baptist Church of Lomas in the rain forest of Puerto Rico.
Additionally, two chainsaw teams and one mud-out team will be prepared to serve, with follow-up teams ready to relieve each initial team.
“This is disaster preparation, so things will begin to change as the weather situation draws nearer. Yet we are ready and willing to serve our neighbors in need and are praying for everyone impacted by this,” Williams said.