The first wave of Texas Baptist Men disaster relief volunteers left Dallas early on Aug. 30 en route to South Louisiana, where Hurricane Ida made landfall as a Category 4 storm with maximum sustained winds of 150 mph.
TBM volunteers will staff a mobile field kitchen capable of providing 30,000 meals a day. They anticipated work in LaPlace, La., about 30 miles west of New Orleans.
In addition to the emergency feeding unit, crews also will operate a shower and laundry unit and an electrical support unit.
The initial group of volunteers also includes an incident management team, who will coordinate operations from Louisiana Baptists’ offices in Alexandria, and damage assessors who will work in the field.
Subsequent TBM teams likely will involve mud-out crews and chainsaw volunteers, once residents who evacuated the area are permitted to return to their homes.
TBM is collecting bottled water and cleaning supplies. An initial delivery of seven pallets of bottled water, three pallets of powdered energy drink mix and two pallets of hand sanitizer from Buckner International was delivered Monday morning. More than 24,000 pounds of humanitarian aid supplies from Buckner, which filled about half of a semi truck, left with the TBM caravan headed for Louisiana.
Once crews arrive in Louisiana, TBM will support the work of Louisiana Baptist disaster relief teams and work in coordination with Southern Baptist disaster relief volunteers from other states, including Arkansas, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina and Oklahoma.
Hurricane Ida made landfall west of Grand Isle, a barrier island near Port Fourchon, La., just before noon on Aug. 29. By late evening, about 1 million Louisiana residents were without electricity.
Jamie Dew, president of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, posted on Facebook at 8 a.m. the next morning: “Very thankful this morning. No flooding on campus or major building damage. LOTS of tree and shingle damage.”
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He instructed students and employees: “We will open campus as soon as possible, but until you hear from us, DO NOT plan your return to campus just yet.”
To support TBM disaster relief financially, give online at TBMTX.org/donate or mail a check to Texas Baptist Men, 5351 Catron Drive, Dallas 75227.
Originally posted at 9:30 a.m. on Aug. 30, this developing news article was edited at 2:30 p.m. the same day and about 2 p.m. on Aug. 31 to include additional details.
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