Georgia Flooding Update from Southern Baptists

Georgia Flood

The Georgia flood has been described as an “epic flood.” Seventeen counties have now been declared disaster areas by the Georgia Governor’s Office with 14 of those counties having been approved and designated as disasters by the President’s Office. Damage estimates from the State Insurance Office could exceed $500 million.

The response has taken time to get underway. Stuart Lang, Georgia Baptist Disaster Relief Director, reported, “Some roads are still impassable.” GEMA reported that 4,636 FEMA Individual Assistance registrations have been received as of 7:00 p.m., Saturday, September 26th.

Georgia Baptist Disaster Relief has activated 21 DR teams including feeding, recovery, chaplain, assessment, mud-out, and command/communication units. Mud-out teams in the Trion/Summerville area have neared completion of the work in that area. Stuart says, “Local churches have been involved in ministering to their communities.” Georgia Baptist has facilitated this ministry.

The North American Mission Board is supporting Georgia Baptist with the deployment and placement of state convention partners. Alabama has three units deployed. Additional volunteers from Alabama, Kentucky, Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia, Texas Baptist Men, and Baptist General Association of Virginia have been activated and are traveling this week. Additional state partners are standing ready to respond as assessment continues and needs are clarified.

The NAMB command post, generator unit, and shower trailer have been deployed and are operational.
A staffed phone center with a toll-free number (1 800 460-6881) has been activated and is taking calls from homeowners who have been affected by the flood and need assistance. The phone center is open from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily at this time.

Please continue to pray for all involved.

National Disaster Relief Leadership
• Bruce Poss, Disaster Relief Unit Coordinator
• Terry Henderson, Disaster Relief Operations Consultant
• Karl Ragan, Disaster Relief Planning Consultant
To contact the Disaster Operation Center, call 1 888 462-8657 or e-mail dr_offsite@namb.net