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Virginia Baptist Disaster Response
to the Virginia Tornadoes
 On April 28, 2008, seven tornadoes struck central and southeastern Virginia, causing widespread damage and more than 200 injuries. Virginia Baptist Disaster Relief has been responding to this disaster as detailed below. Periodic updates will be posted as available.
No volunteers are
needed at this time.
Response Updates
| Thursday, May 8, 2008 |
2:45 p.m.
Virginia Baptist Mission Board Disaster Relief operated response ministries in the Suffolk area for one week. Operations were activated the morning of Wednesday, April 30 and stood down at the end of the day on Tuesday, May 6. Response ministries included meals, distribution of bottled water, snacks, and toiletry/health kits, crisis care chaplaincy, helping hands for removal of salvageable items from damaged homes, clean up and laundry service.
The response was accomplished primarily through a regional approach. Volunteers from Blackwater, Peninsula, Portsmouth and Norfolk Area Baptist Associations assisted in the Driver and Nansemond River/Hillpoint communities. The Disaster Relief Laundry Unit and accompanying volunteers from the Appomattox Baptist Association provided laundry service for storm victims as well as for law enforcement officers from out of town.
Tom Cline, VBMB Disaster Relief Coordinator for the Tidewater Region and Kim Jessie, Tidewater Coordinator for VBMB DR Volunteers provided primary leadership in the field. The DR Coordinators from the participating associations also offered enormous help. And, the volunteers mobilized provided hard work and caring hearts—as they always do! |
| Friday, May 2, 2008 |
10:45 a.m.
The “Comfort Station” in the Nansemond River Golf Club community continues. It is proving to be very helpful.
Thursday operations included: water and snack distribution, distribution of toiletry care kits, helping hands assisting property owners in searching and removing salvageable items from damaged homes, crisis care chaplaincy, and feeding of law enforcement personnel. Also, some individual VBMB-related Disaster Relief (DR) volunteers assisted partners working in the Driver community.
Additions to the operation on Friday should be:
- The Disaster Relief Laundry unit (Appomattox Association) has been deployed and arrived on the scene Friday morning. It will serve as a part of the American Red Cross’ temporary response center set-up at Westminster Presbyterian Church. Operations should begin late morning/early afternoon.
- Small-scale feeding in partnership with Chick-fil-A--bagels and cinnamon rolls for breakfast and a couple hundred chicken sandwiches in heated containers for delivery by VBMB DR volunteers in the community to the homeowners for lunch.
- Bubba Pugh, pastor of the Cowboy Church, will bring Bubba’s Deli’s trailer at about 2:30 p.m. today. They will provide supper for the officers, volunteers, and a few others. Their trailer is a certified food service trailer. They are providing BBQ, slaw, corn and/or green beans, pork and beans, and dessert.
Also, VBMB DR volunteers may prepare meals Saturday from the kitchen of the Hillcrest Baptist Church in Suffolk. The Nansemond River community Comfort Station will likely close at the end of the day Sunday. Currently, there is no anticipated close date for the Laundry unit.
Tom Cline, VBMB DR Coordinator for the Tidewater Region, and Kim Jessie, VBMB DR Coordinator of Volunteers for the Tidewater Region, are providing field leadership for the operations.The active DR volunteers have been primarily from the Blackwater, Portsmouth, Norfolk Area, and Peninsula Baptist Associations. |
| Thursday, May 1, 2008 |
1:30 p.m.
Virginia Baptist Mission Board issues updates including the VBMB Disaster Relief Action Report regarding response to this disaster and the latest Virginia Emergency Operations Center (VEOC) Situation Report.
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| Click the samples above to open print-ready versions. |
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| Wednesday, April 30, 2008 |
3:30 p.m.
The Nansemond River community reopened today and residents have been returning to their homes.
Volunteers at the comfort station have been passing out water throughout the day. Kim Jessie, from the Norfolk Area Baptist Association, along with Jim McLendon (a Crisis Care Chaplain) walked through the neighborhood and met with several of the homeowners.
The comfort station will open again tomorrow, since continued activity is anticipated now that the neighborhood is open.
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10:00 a.m.
The Norfolk Area Baptist Association is setting up a “comfort station” at the entrance to the Nansemond River Community in Suffolk to distribute coffee, cold water, towels, first-aid supplies, etc., to families who are returning to the community to inspect damage and salvage belongings. Two Crisis Care Chaplains will also be there each day. The “comfort station” will likely be open for the rest of the week.
We are standing down the Temporary Child Care Unit and small Feeding Unit that were put on stand-by yesterday. |
| Tuesday, April 29, 2008 |
4:00 p.m.
Virginia Department of Emergency Management issues an
official news release regarding making cash donations to reach disaster victims quickly through recognized organizations including the Virginia Baptist Mission Board. |
2:00 p.m.
Tim Jones, Concord Association’s disaster relief coordinator, visited the area of Brunswick County that was hit by the tornado. The VBMB-related Disaster Relief volunteers in Concord will likely be able to assist with the Brunswick County needs. |
11:00 a.m.
In response to yesterday’s tornadoes, the following Virginia Baptist Disaster Relief units have been placed on standby:
- 1 recovery unit (chain saw/clean-up)
- 1 small feeding unit
- 1 Temporary Child Care Unit
- Crisis Care Chaplains
Virginia Baptist Disaster Relief mobilizes in response to requests from partners such as local churches, district associations, Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD), and local Emergency Operations Centers.
Virginia Baptist Disaster Relief leadership is currently networking with these organizations and assessing needs. Once specific response needs are identified, appropriate Disaster Relief units will be activated. Volunteers will not be needed until units are activated. |
Your Help is Needed
The Virginia Baptist Mission Board is accepting monetary donations to assist with the disaster response to the tornadoes. Donate online with our secure shopping cart.
Or make checks payable to “Virginia Baptist Mission Board” (with the designation “Disaster Relief” on the memo line) and send them to:
Disaster Relief
Virginia Baptist Resource Center
2828 Emerywood Parkway
Richmond, VA 23294
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