TBM chainsaw crews roar into action after storms

Texas Baptist Men disaster relief chainsaw crews and front-end loaders went to work late last month clearing debris left in the wake of storms that swept through much of the state.

When forecasters began to predict severe thunderstorms, large hail and possible tornadoes, crews started preparation, said Ben Moberley of Spring Branch, TBM state chainsaw coordinator.

Texas Baptist Men chainsaw crews cleared debris left in the wake of storms that swept through much of the state. (TBM Photos)TBM dispatched chainsaw units from Canyon Lake and San Antonio to an area south of San Antonio April 24 at the request of Bexar County’s emergency management office, TBM State Disaster Relief Director Terry Henderson said. Volunteers with both units continued to work at least five days in the area.

La Grange and Kerrville disaster relief teams provided heavy equipment support, Moberley noted. Their crews operated front-end loaders to remove heavy trees and brush cut from around homes.

TBM deployed addition chainsaw crews after tornadoes appeared south of Fort Worth area April 26. The National Weather Service confirmed at least eight tornadoes touched down, flattening buildings and ripping the roofs off structures.

Disaster relief units from Collin County and Corsicana traveled to Rio Vista, a Johnson County community south of Cleburne, on April 28, and a crew from Granbury joined them the next morning.

TBM volunteers worked to support local law enforcement “cutting and clearing fallen trees in driveways and on homes,” Moberley said. 

TBM volunteers repair a roof damaged by falling tree branches in Navasota.The Harmony-Pittsburg Baptist Association’s disaster relief unit was deployed April 28 to Navasota at the request of the American Red Cross, said Larry White, Harmony-Pittsburg unit leader.

At each site, teams worked to remove brush, cover roofs and assist local clean-up operations, Henderson said. Volunteer chaplains accompanied each crew to provide spiritual support. 

In one location, a woman whose husband was on crutches called law enforcement asking for help with branches that fell on their home. She was redirected to the TBM team.

“I don’t think it was more than an hour (before) they knocked on my door,” she wrote in an email to TBM. “They said they were going to go get some lunch and would be back to clean up my yard, and they did. A very nice group of five men got (the branches) off of my roof, got all out of the tree that was unstable, cut it all up and stacked it by the road for me. 

“They were awesome. I cannot tell you how much I appreciate them.” 

A multipurpose chainsaw and mud-out unit may be called upon soon, Moberley said. And additional job requests seemed likely.

“The jobs have been piling up,” he said, as people hear of the TBM volunteers’ activity and request assistance. “There are people hurting. People need a lot of help.”

TBM disaster relief relies entirely on donations. To give, click here or send a check designated “disaster relief” to Texas Baptist Men, 5351 Catron, Dallas 75227.