Florida Baptists hold steady as Tropical Storm Fay comes ashore

By Lauren Urtel
Aug. 19, 2008

JACKSONVILLE (FBC)—As Florida Baptists braced for the onslaught of rain, Tropical Storm Fay made landfall south of Naples in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

Fay crossed the Keys Monday, Aug. 18, leaving high waters but little else in its wake.

Tuesday, Aug. 19, the Disaster Relief Department sent personnel to the Keys to assess needs. They reported no significant need there, with local clean up teams remaining on alert.

“Fay will take 2-3 days to clear the state and there will be lots of water over that time,” said Fritz Wilson, director of the Florida Baptist Convention’s Disaster Relief and Recovery Department.  “The ground will be thoroughly saturated causing some trees to fall down as a result of the soggy soil combined with high winds.  Still those incidents will be sporadic and isolated.”

 As the storm clears different parts of the state, Disaster Relief will follow up with calls and visits as needed.  “We are strongly recommending to our units and teams across the peninsula are to be ready to respond to local needs as they arise,” said Wilson.

“This continues to be a rain event,” said Wilson. “We have some concerns for flooding in Jacksonville around the St. John’s River and Black Creek areas but that threat is dependant upon the track of the storm.”

“We are just now starting into the peak part of hurricane season and still have about 8-10 weeks to go until things will relax.”

Florida Baptists are represented at the State Emergency Operation Center by Eddie Blackmon, Men’s Missions and Ministries Department director.

Blackmon reported that while there was some concern of flooding, “things are mostly quiet.”