As Hurricane Helene intensifies and sets its sights on Florida with possible life-threatening impact, Florida Baptist Disaster Relief leaders are on “standby status,” preparing to respond immediately as needed.
David Coggins, FBDR director, is in ongoing communications and coordination with partners at Florida Department of Emergency Management and The Salvation Army to monitor the storm and its pending landfall in Florida. Coggins and his team also stay in regular contact with other partners in relief efforts, including Southern Baptists’ Send Relief, American Red Cross and first responders.
With a possible landfall as a Category 3 hurricane in Florida’s Big Bend on Thursday evening, Sept. 26, FBDR teams will move to “active status” and begin serving in communities impacted by the storm as soon as roads become safe and passable.
Although the storm’s path is still somewhat unpredictable, if Hurricane Helene makes landfall in Florida’s Big Bend, this will be the third time in just over a year for that region to be hit with a hurricane. Category 1 Hurricane Debby made landfall there on Aug. 5 of this year. Category 3 Hurricane Idalia struck the area on Aug. 30, 2023, as the strongest hurricane ever to strike the region. Hurricane Idalia was the fourth hurricane since 2017 to make landfall in Florida with winds equal to or greater than 125 miles per hour, with only Hurricanes Irma, Michael and Ian exceeding those wind speeds.
This is another opportunity that we have to be the hands and feet of Jesus and to bring the hope of the gospel to communities that are going to be impacted again. We stand ready to share the hope of Christ and bring help, healing and hope in a critical time in people’s lives
Although the region is not densely populated, damages have been extensive, with many churches and homeowners still rebuilding, residents becoming hurricane-weary and blue tarps on roofs dotting the rural landscape.
On Sept. 24 Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency for 61 counties in Florida.
In a recorded message, Florida Baptist executive director-treasurer Stephen Rummage called on Florida Baptists to join him in prayer.
“We’re praying for the storm to be averted. We’re praying for minimal damage, and we’re also praying that God would give opportunities for His people to show the love of Jesus Christ as we minister to those who may be affected by these storms in the days to come,” he said.
“We’re praying for God’s grace. We’re praying for God’s mercy, and we know that God will take care of us as we walk with Him in these days.”
Amid the prayers and preparations, Coggins stated, “I am extremely grateful for our Florida Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers. We are just over a month since our last deployment, but I am confident that our volunteers will respond again to this challenge before us.
“This is another opportunity that we have to be the hands and feet of Jesus and to bring the hope of the gospel to communities that are going to be impacted again. We stand ready to share the hope of Christ and bring help, healing and hope in a critical time in people’s lives.”
Already, volunteers are connecting with regional FBDR leaders to let them know of their availability and readiness to serve. At the same time, all necessary equipment needed for relief efforts has been verified to be in proper working condition. In recent days FBDR has added a “quick response feeding unit” to its resources, allowing disaster relief teams to be prepared and respond quickly when opportunities arise.
Florida Baptists’ disaster relief volunteers are trained in mass feeding, emergency response, damage assessment, clean-up and recovery, childcare, providing spiritual care and witness, and other areas as needed in a mass disaster response.
We’re praying that God would give opportunities for His people to show the love of Jesus Christ as we minister to those who may be affected by these storms in the days to come.
Wanting residents to be prepared, state and local leaders as well as numerous meteorologists have emphasized Hurricane Helene’s projected strength and size. “Helene stands toe-to-toe with any of the threats that Florida has faced over the past ten years or indeed really over hurricane history,” said Ryan Truchelut, a hurricane forecaster for the USA TODAY NETWORK-Florida, as reported by the Tallahassee Democrat.
September has been designated as Florida Preparedness Month. All Floridians should take necessary steps to prepare for disasters, having a family plan in place, which might include identifying evacuation routes, possible emergency shelters and a pre-selected meeting place if family members are not together when a storm strikes; fully stocking a disaster supply kit; knowing evacuation zones and keeping car gas tanks at least halfway full. The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season runs until Nov. 30, with September marking the historic peak of hurricane season.
For updates on FLDR response, go to facebook.com/FLBaptistDR and flbaptist.org/dr-current-response.